Out On Your Own
by Aries Zodiac
Summary: Mutants are...reluctantly accepted. The Turtles have split up after the Foot fell. Mikey's joined the Army Mutant Integration Programme. Fitting in was hard enough but now he has been drawn into a deadly game where the rules are not always apparant.
1. 1: Joining Up

**Out On Your Own**

**Aries Zodiac**

_Don't own the Turtles or anything involved with the X-Men saga. Actually, they're all a bit peripheral. This is a Turtle story and Mikey-centric at that. .Oh, and I don't own the 'blink and you'll miss It' reference to the West Wing either.

* * *

_

It was two months after the first outburst of public hysteria over the existence of mutants. The outburst which in a way had freed Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo and their Sensei, Splinter. And which in a way made them prisoners. For now they were known about, they were hunted by some of the humans that they'd helped protect for so long. Fanatics, purists, racists and people caught up in the general excitement. then the announcement from the White House that mutants were also people and to be counted as citizens of the United States. There had been long talks between the leader of the mutants (or one faction of them anyway), Professor Charles Xavier and President Bartlett and so far they'd agreed that mutants should not be treated as sub-human.

Try telling such lowlife scum as this pack of yobs, thought Michelangelo furiously as he felt them gather behind him as he walked back towards the Lair. It was night time but vigilante groups were still forming to patrol the dark streets and attack random people. He shouldn't really have gone out on his own but he needed air- and this area was usually safe enough, especially now that the Foot had been disbanded.

"Hey! Hey, you! Why are you hiding from us? What are you hiding?" demanded one, a youngish man with a slight accent. Michelangelo silently filed away the information. If it did come to a fight then taking out the leader first was important.. He was wearing his trenchcoat out of habit as much as anything else though he shouldn't really have to by law.

"I'm walking." he replied, without turning around. Wasn't the best answer but it was true and he wasn't going to waste more words then necessary on these…morons.

"Turn around when you speak to us!" demanded the first speaker. He could feel that the other end of the alley had been cut off and his eyes narrowed as he considered his options. Looked like it was going to come to a fight. Fine. He wondered briefly if this was how Raphael felt all the time. He turned around, letting the light of the torch shine on his face.

"Shit!" he heard one of them yelp as they saw him. Okay, talk his way out- try to get them to see sense? Or fight?

"Is there a problem?" he asked, politely, with a certain sarcastic undertone. They didn't seem to notice as the leader, recovering faster then his mob, stepped forword.

"Yeah, there is a problem, freak! You lot- you mutants. Honest people don't want you on our streets. Now, we're gonna teach you a little lesson."

Okay, fight it was. Without moving his body, he let his face settle into a feral grin as he ignored the leader and looked pointedly at the next in line, behind the speaker.

"Oooh, shit…." gulped the second guy, backing down a bit, causing confusion in the ranks. Mobs were so easy to break if you just got a second at them. They weren't the brightest creatures in the world. He moved his head slightly to better let the light catch his features and grinned even more evilly. The mobette backed off and when Mikey took a step forward the unfortunate man decided he'd had enough for one night and pushed his way back through the crowd. The mob, confronted with this new development, turned quickly back into a milling mass of confused, scared people. The leader didn't notice. Idiot.

"You're going to teach me a lesson?" asked Mikey, innocently. "You and…whose army?" looking pointedly behind the man. Who spun around and gaped at the space behind him. He was alone with a freaky animal…thing! He ran, and Mikey shook his head, disgusted at these people. Gotta love the friendly neighbourhood vigilantes.

He turned to walk out when a gunshot echoed past his ear. He swung around and ducked at the same time as another shot whined over his head. He was suddenly back into ninja mode. He hated guns. He could see the owner of the weapon, glancing into the shadows. There was something…professional about him. Mob-rule and psychology wouldn't scare this guy off. He stayed still, becoming almost part of the wall as his training had taught him. The man paused, having lost his quarry and for a second was silhouetted against the dim light of the alley entrance. Mikey leaped silently and landed behind the man before he could react. His nunchucks had found their way into his hands as he jumped and he rapped the man on the head and confiscated the gun. There. That could have gone worse. He looked at the piece of machinery in his hand. Ah well, Donatello was always interested in a new piece of machinery. He turned and trudged home.

* * *

_Two months later_

Leo and their Sensai were leaving today. Donatello had left a month before. He was working as a engineer/scientist/inventor-genius person in a Government funded project and generally wowing people it seemed. And having a great time. Leo and Splinter were going to Japan where Leo was to finish his training. That left himself and Raphael.

"We'll come back every so often. And we'll stay in contact by our shell-cells" assured Leo, looking worried and a bit guilty for leaving his two younger brothers. He glanced at Splinter who nodded to him.

"We'll miss ya, Leo" said Mikey awkwardly, trying not to show just how upset he was at the break-up of their family.

"It's not for long, Mikey…" replied the eldest turtle, his voice a bit shaky as well.

There was a pause.

"Well, good luck. And stay outta trouble, ya hear?" said Raph gruffly. He hated goodbyes.

"It is hard, my son. But you must have a chance to find who you want to be as well as letting them do the same." said Splinter gently to Leo as they journeyed to Splinters homeland. Leo didn't reply but wiped a green hand across his eyes.

"How did it break up so quickly?" asked Mikey suddenly to his brother. He shrugged crossly before glancing over at his younger brother.

"Ah, it's not forever." he assured him. "It's just until…I don't know. Give us all some time to take a break, figure out what we really want to do with our lives. Would ya really want to be a Mutant Ninja Turtle for the rest of your life?"

"I wouldn't mind." Mikey whispered after a pause. Raph looked down at the floor of the Lair.

"Yeah, I know."

* * *

Yeah, still working on the other one, but I've had a temporary brainfry with it so... hope this one makes up for it.

R&R please?


	2. 2: First Test

**Chapter 2**

First Test

* * *

_Two weeks later _

"I'm going to sign up for the Mutant Army Integration Programme, Raph." said Mikey when he saw his brother for the first time in almost a week. Raphael hadn't been spending much time in the Lair, preferring to wander further and further afield in his search for…something.. Raphael looked up and nodded.

"Yeah, I spotted that one too."

"Ya want to join up too?" asked Mikey, interested. For a second he saw something like interest in his brothers eyes before Raph glanced away again.

"Naah, all that authority and crap. Not my scene just yet. I want a bit of freedom."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Mikey.

"Travel." was the succinct answer. "I wanna see a bit of the world. There's more of us, Mikey. We're not as alone as we thought." Mikey nodded. Somehow he'd known that was what Raph's answer would be.

"When…?" he asked quietly.

"I'll stay until ya join up. But I want to leave soon." he replied. Actually he wanted to leave NOW. But he couldn't leave the kid by himself now. He felt angry enough at his other two brothers for deserting the two of them like that. They talked to them often enough- well, Mikey did. Raph was still mad enough that he usually managed to be out when they called.

"Thanks Raph. I'm joining up tomorrow. If I do that, I'll be out of here by Friday." Raph nodded and paused as he tried to get the words to line up properly.

"Do…dya think you can handle this thing?" he asked suddenly. Mikey looked surprised and a bit hurt.

"That's not what I meant- ya oughta be able to handle the physical part, yeah. No, I mean- it's gonna be tough, let me tell ya that. The Army…mindset. They don't even like other humans in there. Only started lettin' black people in, what fifty years ago- properly in, I mean. And women- half their damn race, mind you, what, twenty years? How dya think they're gonna deal with a bunch of freaks?" It was easily the longest thing he'd said- and the least snarky- in almost four months.

Mikey nodded, seriously. "Yeah, I thought of that. And you're right. But this could be one of the most important leaps for mutants livin' with humans, dude. If the Army accepts us…"

"If the Army accepts ya…"

* * *

The Army did accept him-on paper at least. He'd completed a couple of pre-basic training days and was at the training camp. He hadn't brought much- his nunchucks and shell-cell of course. His human-clothes and his sketchpad and pencils. That was precious at the moment- when he'd found out that Don was leaving and realised that the break-up of their family was inevitable, he'd spent much of his time drawing anything and everything. Leo practising with Master Splinter in the dojo. Don engrossed in an experiment- that had been tricky! It was hard to concentrate on a sketch when you were worried the subject might blow something up at any second! Raph, uh, threatening him. Raph gave up after Splinter had told him privately just to let his brother draw. He'd drawn the four of them at the table one night- even forsaking his own dinner for that one. He'd kinda lost his appetite anyway for a day or two when he first faced the prospect of being alone. They all would be. Although Leo at least would have Sensei and Don would be so lost in his studies that perhaps homesickness wouldn't affect him as much. It was Raph he was worried about. But his older brother would take care of himself. 

He stood in front of the large, flat building, grey and baking in the heat. The road was dusty and he could see a guard perspiring in his booth. The man wandered over and his eyes widened as he took in the fact that a large green turtle was standing there, asking was this the Base. But he'd been warned about this. And this guy seemed friendly enough. Not like he'd really expected a…well, a mutant, to be.

"Yes it is. Got your card?" he asked. Michelangelo handed over his ID, which he had sandwiched into his sketchpad. Private Ron Seville checked it over.

"You're the first. Go on through." He paused. This was history in the making, this was. A real live mutant joining the Army. He felt like he should say something. He cleared his throat slightly and the turtle turned around.

"Um…Good luck. You'll need it." He suddenly felt sorry for this newbie. His card said he was seventeen. He wondered if this guy was going to be able to take it. It would be worse for him and the other mutants. The turtle- Michelangelo, apparently, flashed him a surprising grin.

"Thanks dude." And he was gone. Ron walked slowly back to the booth. He realised he was rooting for the guy.

* * *

Michelangelo entered the messhall and the room suddenly fell silent. If he'd had hairs on the back of his neck they would have been raised as the tension filled the air. He controlled his immediate reaction and forced himself to smile cheerfully at the silent crowd. 

"Hi guys!" No one answered. Someone sniggered and suddenly everyone was talking loudly again. Too loudly really. He walked over to the counter.

"We don't serve animals," said the man behind the counter folding his arms. The room fell silent again.

First test was it?

"Don't see any.," he said unconcernedly. "But if you're on strike, I'll serve myself." He used the tongs that the man had put down beside him with a clatter and put food on his plate. He wondered briefly what Raph would have done and pictured the carnage that might easily have occurred had someone been that rude to his older brother. He couldn't help but smile a bit as he turned to find a table. Most people were looking at him in interest. That was a novel way to handle the surly counter-man. Two men stood up and blocked the path to the table that Mikey had been aiming for. The leader, a big man with a crewcut, spoke first, with sarcastic politeness.

"If you don't mind, there are people here, try'n to eat. Why don't you and the other freaks find somewhere else. Like outside where ya belong." Mikey frowned inwardly. Damn. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to get involved in a messy confrontation just yet. Then the frown reached his face as he realised something.

"West Brooklyn, is it?" he tried to place the exact accent with that funny little burr that spoke of somewhere else. Then it clicked into place. He matched the other man's sarcastic politeness.

"Remember about a year ago. An alleyway near one of the old complexes." he said conversationally. The man had frozen in place and paled slightly. There wasn't a noise in the room.

"You and another guy had grabbed someone off the street. Teenager. And it wasn't only a mugging, was it? Two of you against one of her." He let scorn and disgust enter his voice. "Remember me and my brother?" He leaned forward so he was looking the man right in the face. "How's the arm by the way?"

Mikey pushed past the confused man who was absolutely positive that that wasn't how that should have gone. The man looked to his table for support, but they looked back with a mixture of scorn and distaste. He'd given himself away and even any potential cronies had lost interest in him after seeing him beaten like that in front of everyone.

Mikey sat by himself at a table. He'd won some neutrals from the hostiles and mild interest from those who hadn't been against him from the start. The mood had lightened, or if, rather then lightening, the new recruits had found someone else to vent distaste at. Oh, there were still plenty that wouldn't hesitate to take him out but at least not everyone would actively go after him now.

He realised his insides were churning and his appetite was almost non-existent again. Damn, that wasn't good. How could some of them hate him so much just 'cos what? He was green. Big freakin' deal. Okay, the shell and the whole…turtle aspect wasn't helping much but….Age of tolerance, my green ass, he thought to himself. He missed his brothers and his Sensei, to whom he looked as a father. Missed them and home so much that it hurt. Hell, at this point he'd be happy to see Shredder or Bebop. Something to remind him that there was another world out there. That he hadn't just dreamed his whole life until now…

"Hey, this seat taken?" asked someone. It was a man, two men actually. One was a small red-haired wiry chap who introduced himself as Paddy Malone. The other was a largish black man, who walked confidently. Not arrogant exactly, but confident. Mikey looked at the latter with slight unease. If he were to get challenged again, this man would be way harder to take down. But his fears were dispelled when the big man held out a hand.

"George Henry." he introduced himself.

"Michelangelo- Mikey." he replied, shaking hands with both men. He didn't feel threatened by either. These two were okay, his gut instinct told him.

"So how many green jokes have you gotten so far?" asked the smaller man, tucking into his plate hungrily.

"How many Paddy jokes have you had to put up with?" he replied wryly. The larger man laughed and nudged Paddy, who nearly fell into his food.

"He's got ya there, Malone." Malone grinned ruefully.

"Guess I asked for that one." he said. "Course, with the Irish jokes, well it would help if I wasn't …you know" he waved at himself. "Red hair, Cork accent, you know, the works. Had one guy ask me if we had electric lighting at home yet. I'm _almost _sure he was joking though." Mikey grinned, his own good nature reasserting itself.

Paddy leaned forward. "Look mate, Wanna help ya. Cos believe me- ye'er gonna need it." George joined in.

"They're not all against you. Some of them have already fallen foul of that fool, Jackby- you gained a couple of potential friends with that particular display."

"Including us." managed Malone around a mouthful of potato.

"Yeah- this guy was getting a bit fed up with that asshole. Anyway. You gained as many enemies I'd say too. People who don't like that piece of work but don't think a…a, something they see as lower then themselves, should be able to push one of their own around." Mikey tried to digest this bit of information.

"They'd take the side of that…that…"

"Piece of undigested horseshit" put in Malone again.

"…despite what he did, over a stranger because…."

"It's not the stranger bit, it's…well you're stranger then anything they'd normally see, mate." Michelangelo nodded. "Yeah, got that right."

He paused.

"Are you…um… mutants as well?" he asked, wondering why these guys were putting themselves out for an unpopular mutant.

"Naah, plain common- or- garden human," replied George, not in the least offended. He paused too and glanced at the ginger-headed young man hoovering up his lunch. "At least, I am. Not sure about this guy." Malone paused long enough to flip a birdie at the larger man before continuing. Mikey snorted quietly with laughter. He still didn't want to attract too much attention.

"So, well, the groups and alliances haven't really formed yet. There's that lot." He flicked his hand so the thumb pointed unobtrusively at one of the rowdier bunches. "Watch out for them. They're the ones that'll go for you. Bullies, a lot of them. Don't let 'em get ya. Then there's the idealists. Split bunch. Kids mainly. Some of them are okay. Some again, you'll have to watch out for. The Techs are floating around here and there. Fair bunch of women in there. More then in most other groups. Not been that long since they went through the same shit, so you might have some allies in the tech groups. Women've proved their worth, many in tech. so they're all a bit more open minded. Um…"

"The further education's." Malone swallowed the last of his food and spoke. "Quieter ones, often. They're probably reasonably safe. But you'll have enemies in every group. And the brass. Most of 'em don't like the idea of taking 'freaks'- quote there by the way." he added, hands up, as George glared at him and Mikey's eyes narrowed. "Stick with the other…eh…"

"Mutents. You can say the word. That's not the offensive one." Mikey helped the garrulous man out. Malone waved his fork in an attempt to get the indescribable across but nodded at the help.

"..other mutants. Don't be too standoffish with the rest. Or too...ah, I dunno. They'll probably forget that you're different eventually."

Mikey didn't need to look around to feel the unfriendly eyes still on him.

"Yeah, hope so." he muttered.

* * *

It was the first night in the barracks. His bunk was a bit separate from the rest- in the corner. Most people, seeing where he'd gone had congregated at the other side of the room. He didn't let it show that it bothered him in the slightest but he couldn't help wishing his only allies in this place, Malone and Henry, were in this barracks. But no such luck there. It was later when the new arrival came into the recruits bunkhouse. A man of indefinable age- blond and tall. The sort that probably wouldn't have any trouble finding girls, but reserved with it. He recognised the stance and the way of walking- someone who wasn't sure of his reception but trying to cover it. He recognised it from himself earlier. The snores echoed off the roof, but after fifteen years sharing a room with Raph and then two more years in which everyone's snores had echoed around equally, it didn't bother Mikey. A few patches of silence, showed up the younger ones who were having trouble adjusting and lay awake. The blond man glanced- at his hands, it looked like- hard to tell in the blackness, and seemed to regain some self-confidence. He walked to the end of the room where there were still beds. Mikey watched him, wondering if this was a mutant or 'normal' His question was answered when the man brushed off something and his skin seemed to glow and crackle. The man swore in a low voice and the light went out. 

"What are you?" came out of the darkness, not entirely unfriendly, but curious.

"Mutant." someone else answered. This voice was unfriendly. Mikey wondered how this man would take the 'first test'. He didn't reply but just shrugged and addressed his first words to Mikey.

"This bunk taken?"

Mikey grinned.

"Welcome to the freak corner." he replied as the man swung his bag onto the top bunk before pulling himself up.

* * *

The next morning was Orientation and introductions to the officers and others. Mikey and the man, who introduced himself as just 'Electrode', were standing more or less together. He noticed Henry standing two men down but didn't see the hungry Irishman around. As for Electrode, if he had a different name, he wasn't telling. Mikey didn't push him. He could se why you might want to keep your own council if everyone was like this. Three more mutants had appeared- Mikey was getting quite good at recognising them. Something about the way they stood, defiant but still expecting trouble. One was easily as big as Electrode and Henry, brown haired and taciturn. He wondered what made this guy different. Another was a quiet woman with white-blonde hair, who'd already received wolf-whistles and smart comments. She didn't seem to notice them and they'd become a bit discouraged. The original Ice-Queen someone had muttered spitefully at the Mess earlier. Actually, he wasn't altogether sure about this one. She was so calm and self- contained that it was hard to tell. The last one was definitely a mutant, and had ended up directly in front of him. Her uniform seemed to be giving her trouble. This might have had something to do with the large wings that were folded tightly against her back. Her hair was black and French-plaited tightly. She seemed to be the subject of as much morbid fascination as Mikey only with less of the fear that some people were having trouble masking. 

The officer in charge was identified as Master-Sergeant Fields and looked exactly like the archetypal trainer of new recruits as seen in the movies. All that was missing was the cigar. He completely ignored the mutants, but shouted at everyone equally. By the end of the session Mikey was sure that everyone would be treating this guy with respect. They were ordered to run laps of the huge Quad until they were told to stop. So that was the first bit of training. Mikey didn't have much trouble here, easily keeping up with those in front, including Henry and the obnoxious Jackby, who scowled at him with an interesting mix of hate, disgust and fear. Mikey ignored him and worked on controlling his breathing. Henry was running on the other side of Jackby and gave him a grin and rolled his eyes at the fuming runner in the middle which made Mikey feel better about it. At least some people saw the arrogant little prat for what he was.

"What the hell they're doin' letting freaks and animals in here with real people I don't bleedin' know." Jackby hissed at the Turtle, who could feel so many smartass replies to this coming that he didn't know where to start.

"Add it to that long list of things you don't know" was the first one to come to mind. Jackby turned even redder.

"You really want to challenge me? Fine- lets see how fast you can run." Jackby speeded up. Mikey knew that he shouldn't let himself be goaded like this but…oh, the temptation to take down this git was overwhelming. Henry had a grin playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Wanna show him what you're made of?" he asked him. Mikey nodded his head once and sped up. At least he'd have one guy on his side.

A few more people sped up- Electrode was fast and several 'normal' humans were racing as well, The leading group was made up of five men- Jackby, Mikey, Henry, Roberts and Electrode and three women that Mikey wouldn't have recognised even if he'd noticed them, concentrating on catching up on Jackby. Man, that dude was fast. But he'd been training as a ninja under Master Splinter for eleven of his seventeen years as well as being naturally athletic. The two of them stretched their lead, sometimes Jackby in front but more often Mikey. They were out of sight of the trainer and had a good lead on the rest of the runners when Jackby struck, slamming into Mikey's side and trying to trip him before recovering and continuing. Mikey hadn't been expecting this cheap shot and took longer to recover then he should have. At least he hadn't fallen over, which was what the slime had been aiming for but he staggered a couple of steps, and Jackby was pulling away. Mikey recovered and started grimly to catch up- seeing what they were using as a finishing line coming closer. Jackby wasted a confident second, glancing over his shoulder, obviously sure he could win now. Mikey gathered himself as he ran and just as Jackby turned back again, he leaped, catching Jackby by surprise as he landed almost beside him.

"What the hell!" demanded the other man. That was his fatal error. Talking while running slows you down and now Mikey started pulling away again in the front. They raced toward the line, Mikey maybe a head in front as they approached. He became distantly aware of cheering from up ahead and from behind where the other runners had pretty much given up on any hope of winning.

"Move it, Jackby- Ya gonna let a freak beat you?" was the gist of several peoples shouting. But others were saying things like

"Go on, the Turtle!" "Go green!" and "Beat him!" (which could be for either side).

He crossed the line maybe two paces ahead of the furious human and they both slowed and stopped, breathing heavily. Master Sergeant Fields marched up with a stopwatch.

"Two minutes fifty and two minutes fifty-one. Fastest mile we've ever had here." He snapped the stopwatch closed.

"Why have you stopped! You've got another nine laps to go! And an extra one for pausing." Mikey and Jackby glanced at each other with something almost like solidarity in the face of the shit they were both in before both faces turned away and they started running again.

By the fifth mile, Mikey wasn't doing too well. The first race hadn't done him any favours at all and he was now somewhere around the middle-front of the pack. Jackby was jogging on grimly in the rear. Mikey was having trouble controlling his breathing. The heat and the dust made his mouth feel like sandpaper and- dammit- turtles just weren't built for this. If anything, he was a speed runner, not a distance runner!

"Well run." said someone behind him, distracting him momentarily from his unhappy lungs and legs. Pulling up beside him was the woman with the wings. Only she'd seemed to have winched them in somehow and there was only a lump visible through a cut in the back of the jacket- there for that purpose. He spared her a nod of gratitude for the support but was having trouble speaking. He slowed a bit so he could speak- the whole group were now running at a moderate jog rather then a fast one.

"Probab..ly wasn't the cleverest thing to do- didn't know there would be anoth…er ten laps on top of it." he managed. She laughed- a sort of chuckling release of breath and he smiled as well.

"Well, you beat whathisface anyway- gotta be worth something." she answered. He glanced back to where Jackby was struggling along gamely in the rear. Mikey couldn't feel too sorry for him.

Suddenly the Master Sergeant was beside him, leaving Mikey wondering just how the hell he'd done that.

"Angelo! Rhodes! Ten, now! Then finish the laps!" Mikey looked confused but the woman dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups. Mikey followed suit. These, at least, he could do. Jackby passed him, looking smug.

"Go!" They ran again and this time concentrated on running rather then communicating. He felt his second- possibly third wind coming on and he found his pace picking up. Due to the stop they were now lagging behind everybody, even Jackby and they pushed their bodies grimly to catch up. By lap seven they'd all slowed down and Mikey and the woman- Siren Rhodes, were well up the pack again and Mikey found he was almost enjoying the challenge. Not everyone felt like this obviously. One or two had trailed to a walk and if they straggled were caught for push-ups and made to continue. One thing that at least they had was water, which they were making use of. Mikey wished it was cold but knew that cold water would make you sick, no matter how good it would taste.

Finally, thank-God, they trailed to a stop after ten mile-long laps

"Angelo, Jackby. What have you stopped for!" Fields shouted. "You have another lap yet- move! Move! Move!" They moved wearily, going for the eleventh lap. Fields roared through a loudspeaker affair as they put distance between themselves and him.

"My granny could do better then that! And she's been dead twenty years!"

"Where the hell do they find these guys?" gasped Mikey, forgetting for a second who he was speaking to. "He's right out of a movie." He stopped as he realised who it was beside him. Jackby spared him a glance but to Mikey's great surprise there seemed to be a twitch at one corner of his mouth. Neither one said anything and they ran on.

As they neared the last quarter, where Jackby had tripped him last time, they put some distance between themselves and Jackby concentrated on the ground ahead. He seemed embarrassed. Mikey didn't make any comment and as they neared the finishing line, a certain grudging respect had laid its foundations between the two.

"Well run. Cool down slowly with the rest." was all the Sergeant said when they got in on wobbly legs, Mikey swearing to himself that he would never again be goaded into a three-minute mile race followed by a ten-mile marathon, again. Give him a battle followed by a run or vice versa, grand, but that had been horrific. They cooled down, shaking out and massaging limbs for a few minutes so they would neither cramp up nor freeze as the muscles contracted again.

"Good race." muttered Jackby to Mikey out of the blue. Mikey looked up in surprise but the other man was gone. Mikey shrugged and followed him out to the others.

* * *

_Next chapter on its way soon. And yes, I do have a friend who got the comment about do we have electric lighting. Mind you I think she said no so that may not have helped matters:)_

_Cya soon with chapter three..._


	3. 3 The Letter

I HAVE REVIEWS! I'm so happy…

Sooo

**Lunar-Ninja-** Yeah, okay- there was a fair bit of swearing in it- more then I would usually have, to tell the truth but I felt in that chapter that it was necessary. It is being toned down in future chapters. Thanks for the review and your honesty!

**Becca T**-Thank- you! Yay, I'm on a story alert list! Happy! I won't say if you right or wrong overall- oh well- they're not vanishing entirely anyway!

**Pacphys-** wow-epic-sized review! Wahay! Thankyou and also thanks for the info on the women in the army.

**The REAL Cheese Monkey**- Thankyou- more is on the way pretty soon!

**CH 3 **

_The Letter _

* * *

In the Messhall this time, he could still feel unfriendly stares on him but there were a good few shouts of "Two fifty!"; "Good run!" and other comments. Looked like the Race (as it was coming to be known) had won him some admirers which made up for the pain in his legs.

"Hey Mikey!" someone shouted as he got his lunch (unceremoniously dolloped out by the counter-man who just scowled at him but at least didn't make any more comments about animals.) It was Paddy, sitting at a longish table. There were a few others- humans who looked at him with a range of expressions. Henry joined them and they settled down a bit. He'd gained quite a bit of respect from the other recruits. Then Electrode and Siren together, who were given uneasy looks as they stood, looking for a table, Mikey waved.

"Electrode! Siren, space over here." The two joined him at the table with relief. The 'Ice-Queen' came next and sat in without showing any signs of acknowledging the drooling from some of the other tables. She was beautiful, even Mikey had to admit. He just wished he knew if she was a mutant or not! The last one was the tall quiet brown haired man, whose name Mikey didn't know.

"You're all in the program?" asked Electrode of the others. The two women nodded (hah- so she was!) The brown haired man and Mikey agreed also. Paddy shook his head.

"Sorry, mate- I'm outnumbered here."

Another man up the table, who was watching the proceeding with unabashed horror and disgust stood up loudly.

"Not staying here- freaking sideshow." Two others joined him and they stalked off to another table. Electrode and Siren, on the ends, very deliberately moved their chairs into the spaces previously occupied by the men.

"All the more space for us."

Henry glanced at Malone and Mikey wondered what they'd do now. Stay where they were the outsiders, in the midst of the mutants or join their own people in casting scorn? He leaned over to Henry and spoke quietly.

"Don't feel like you have to stay. It's gonna earn you enemies. But if you want to, you're always welcome." Henry glanced at Paddy who answered for both.

"Leave now? Hell with that- it's just getting' interesting!" Mikey laughed, relieved, though he didn't really want to show it.

"Who's everyone?" asked Siren, looking around with interest. "I'll start- I'm Siren. You may've noticed the wings."

"Can you fly with them?" asked Malone, interested, then blushed for the first time. "Um…Am I allowed ask that? I'm not sure of the…eh, protocol." Siren smiled at him.

"It's okay- you can ask. Some people won't want to tell. Yes, I can fly."

"Cool!" said Mikey. They looked at him.

"Um…I'm Mikey. Michelangelo. Um…I'm a turtle- kind of."

"You born like that?" asked someone. Mikey shook his head and gave a brief history of why he and his brothers were turtles. He left out the whole Ninja thing. Sometimes it was better to have an unexpected ace in your shell. "Your turn." he said to Electrode.

"I'm Electrode. Three guesses as to what I do." He held up his hand and an eerie glow surrounded it. "Not fun in stormy weather. Feels like all my hair is standing on end." They smiled at the image. In fact, it looked like this had happened already to the rather gangly young man, with his shock of dark hair that stuck in all directions.

"Glacier." The small woman with the white-blonde hair spoke next. The name suited her. She glanced at her mug and waved her hand over it. They looked at it. Electrode picked up the cup and turned it over. Nothing came out.

"Of course, melting it again is the annoying part." she finished.

"Allow me…" put in Electrode, cupping the mug in his hands. His hands glowed and the liquid melted.

"That was awesome!" said Mikey, excitedly. He turned to the last member of the mutant group. "So what about you?" The brown haired man looked up at them.

"My name's Steel." His hand was resting on the tabletop and he lifted it. As they watched, it grew silvery and solid. Malone dropped his fork as he stared. Steel smiled shyly and turned to Malone and Henry.

"Who are you?"

"Yeah. Do you not mind being seen with the likes of us?" asked Siren a bit roughly. Mikey seemed to trust them, and she _thought_ she could perhaps trust Mikey, but she'd been disappointed too many times before to trust people too easily.

Henry shrugged. "Don't see why we shouldn't be. You're recruits, same as us. So you have special powers. You'll still need to learn all the same stuff as us. And perhaps if people see us hanging around, maybe they'll trust you more. Or something. I'm George Henry, by the way."

"And I'm Padraig Malone. My only secret power is that I can"- here he switched voices, taking on a thick fake 'Darby McGill' brogue- "…spake Oirish an' nivar a sinnar kin onderstand me, begorrah." This caused a bout of hilarity that did much to ease the tensions in the group. Even Glacier smiled.

"Do…do people really speak like that?" managed Mikey after a few seconds.

"Depends what channel you're watching. But in real life, no."

"Fair enough…" chuckled Siren. "So- Malone, Mikey, Electrode, Steel, Henry, Glacier- that right? How are you dealing with it so far?"

"Making friends with the indigenous species. And enemies too…" said Electrode offhandedly, but with a sly look at Mikey who blushed slightly.

"Hey…that wasn't entirely my fault. He started it." he defended himself.

"I tell you- it was some race though. That Jackby guy is fast."

"He's a racer isn't he? Won the 100m in the Olympics a few years back. Damaged something though and he won't be racing again."

"A mile in two fifty-one? He could race again!" There were some nods as everyone concentrated on eating, starving after the long day.

"So who was here first? The icebreaker as it were? Uh…sorry, Glacier…" She waved it off.

"Mikey here. Came in and dealt pretty well with the first shite." said Malone. "Certainly sorted out the moron on the counter. And then Jackby. Took his legs right out from under him."

"Why, what happened there?" asked Siren, interested. Malone told the story and Glaciers lips twisted as she observed scornfully that humans, for all their assumed superiority weren't so great after all. The bitterness in her voice caused a silence and she blushed.

"You are human, Glacier." said Mikey eventually, gently. "It's not something to be either proud of or ashamed of. Any more then being a mutant is something to be proud of or ashamed of. It just… is."

"Try telling them that we're human!" she snapped in a low, vicious whisper. "Try telling them that we've nothing to be ashamed of in being mutants!" She was squeezing her cup as she spoke and the liquid inside froze solid. She set it down roughly with a thud that caused some people to glance around.

"Look Glacier- you look human, okay?" Siren stepped in, sounding angry. "You can walk through a room full of strangers and people won't look at you any different. So can Steel if it comes to that. Or Electrode. You just have to be a little more careful of what you do, when you do it. But you can blend in. Me and Mikey can't. Wings, or a shell aren't easy to hide!" Malone and Henry looked uncomfortable, Steel worried and Electrode edgy as the two women glowered across the table at each other. The tension had built up in the last few seconds as the new surroundings, tiredness and the underlying hostility amplified suppressed rage. Mikey decided he'd better step in. Before there was murder done.

"Hey, it ain't easy being green!" he joked, although even that had an underlying truth to it. He leaned forward, cutting the glares off.

"Look, of all thing we don't need, factions are way up there, dudes. We've a lot of people to prove ourselves too- we need to be a team for this or we may as well pack up our stuff and go home now. Anyone want to quit now? In the first week? We've all done the pre-basic days. And you know what? We survived them. Even on our own. People will get used to us. Until then, we need each other. We need to be a team. If we can make it in the Army then it will help countless other mutants."

"And that is why the 'purists' will want us to fail." said Steel backing him up. "We gonna let them win?" In an intentionally corny gesture he put his hand palm down on the table. "We gonna let 'em?" The tension collapsed again as Mikey laughed and placed his own hand down as well, followed by Glacier, Electrode and Siren, thumb to small finger in a circle on the table. Hey, it was corny. But it helped. They felt a new optimism imbue them. Hell with this place! They would take 'em on!

It was kinda getting easier, Mikey had to admit. He'd been in good shape- hey round was a good shape for a turtle! The first few days had been the absolute lower pits of hell, mainly full of shouting, push-ups and a certain amount of taunting. And the running. He had to check his feet occasionally just to make sure they hadn't worn away yet. But a week had gone by and he now had a chance to write a letter- finally! He glanced across at others in the bunkhouse and frowned. There were one or two that he really wouldn't trust not to nab his letter and do something childish like glue it to the wall or something. There was no underestimating the, the…sheer bratlyness of some people. He wrote it in Japanese and addressed it to Donnie.

Donnie was enjoying himself. He was in a place where he was accepted, despite his species. Oh, there were one or two who'd be more interested in dissecting him then listening to him and he couldn't entirely shake the feeling that Prof. McKehoe was taking notes on every word the strange animal was saying and looking for his trainer, but on the whole, he was accepted here. Mostly, people didn't even seem to notice he was a turtle, it was his brains that the other scientists and engineers were interested in. He'd made friends with a few of them and talked regularly to Leo, Master Splinter and Raph but so far hadn't heard from Mikey. Mikey'd said that he couldn't have the shell- cell in the training place but that he'd write. Donnie wondered how he was getting on. In a way, he'd chosen the hardest option and his family were slightly worried at how he would be coping. So he was relieved when he got the letter on the second Friday after Mikey had left the Lair.

_Dear Sensei, Don, Leo and Raph_

_Seems a bit odd addressing this to all of you when Don's the one I'm sending it to, but I figure he'll read the salient bits on the cell or whatever. Yeah, writing this in Japanese. Yes Raph, I can in fact write. Don't look so surprised. And no comments from you either Leo. Okay, at least wait till I'm around to defend myself. Was kinda worried my mail'd get rifled through. And I don't see why they should read my mail. At least not without working for it. Thank God for padlocks, that's all I'm saying. That's the recruits. Small barracks. Some big troublemakers. Not been too bad so far. Well, it's getting a bit easier now anyway. Some trouble near the beginning but its sorting itself out. _

_Other 'freaks' here- that's the technical term apparently! We're a team already. Admittedly that could be something to do with most human teams not wanting us. There's me, Siren- a hot-tempered woman with wings, Electrode- he can create lightning and channel electricity. Once someone made the mistake of trying to physically intimidate him- pushing him around and stuff. Ah well, he should be able to sit down soon. Glacier- she's a bit scary. Bitter about the mistreatment of mutants. Probably a story there. Who else? Steel- he's quiet but I like him. His power is that he can turn his whole body to steel. Not entirely sure why you'd do this but there you go. Actually, it gives you some punch. They know about the turtle thing obviously, but not about the ninja stuff. With some of the stuff going on a bit of underestimation may not be a bad thing. Anyway- couple of others- humans, who've decided that we're not going to kill and eat them- Paddy Malone and George Henry, mainly. They came and talked to me when I was the first mutant in here after one or two messy confrontations in the Mess. Warned me who to watch out for, helped me, and later the others, settle in. Paddy's this mad Irish dude. He's 'good craic'. Henry's great. Sort of guy you could trust your life to. The other mutants were leery of them at first but seem to have accepted them now. Until now, I don't think they ever got to learn that sometimes humans do put their necks out, not for personal gain or whatever but because it's right. Pity they never met April or Casey. No-one talks much about their pasts here. I don't even know their full names. When they took on their 'mutant identities' they left old lives and families behind. For most mutants, their families rejected them first. Tell you guys, we were very lucky. Thank-you Master Splinter._

_Several clashes with some guys- guys are worse then the women, according to Siren and Glacier. They still remember what it was like for them and in most cases…seem almost to accept them. Gets the attention off them. Almost accept 'em anyway. They can be seriously -'bitchy' was the word she used.. At least not many people are foolish enough to attack me physically although I'd tend to stick to a friendly group (ie the other mutants) whenever possible. But Steel, Electrode and Siren have all been attacked. And Malone too. Electrode zapped the guy after him and Steel, well, there's not much you can really do against a guy who just turns to metal on you. Siren was shaken, but okay- Glacier turned up in time. Kinda helped heal the rift between them so it was a good thing in a way. Malone, well he was hurt and spent a couple of days in sickbay, although we got there before any real damage was done. They got disciplined for provoking a fight and we got done for being in the fight. Ah well. It was worth it. Mind you, he did a fair chunk of damage himself. Don't think I've seen anyone so mad since we defeated Shredder- the, what, seventh time? The one when he threw a complete and utter wobbly over it._

_But overall, (despite my complaining- sorry guys)- it ain't too bad here. Most of the officers are fair, although one or two- (the higher up, the worse) are a bit…squiffy…about us and are looking for any reason to throw us out. So we're keeping our noses clean and staying out of trouble. When possible. So far, we seem to be surviving. Only another four weeks to go?_

_Went on a lot longer then I meant to- sorry. I'm more interested in finding out what you are up to. Is Master Splinter still beating you every day in katas, Leo? (still practising daily here- looking for a rematch, Raph) Bet he is. And how's the inventing going, Don? How many labs have you blown up? And Donnie- needn't show this bit to Raph, but I'm a bit worried about him. Yeah, I know, of all of us, he can probably take care of himself, but he's got perhaps the most dangerous idea- his wandering. Not that there isn't a certain amount of lure for what he's doing, but does even he know what he's looking for? (Damn- Sirens penchant for all this phyysio…psycho analysissy stuff is wearing off on me- and no, I don't know how to say that in Japanese. Or in English either.) So yeah, keep an eye on him would ya?_

_Gotta go- there's dear old Sargent Major shrieking for us. Either laps or the Code I'm guessing…_

_(Later) Aw man…it was the Code. We're eating it, living it and sleeping it at the moment. Gotta go- essay on…American Military Leadership to complete. The joys of school again I don't think!_

_See ya'll in four weeks!_

_Mikey._

Mikey stared at the letter for a few minutes and sighed. Naah, he couldn't send that. Too much like complaining, most of it. He'd known going in that it wouldn't be easy. The others had told him enough times…

* * *

"Mikey- are you absolutely sure about this?" Leo sounded worried over the phone and Mikey rolled his eyes in the privacy of the Lair.

"Yes, Leo. And yes, I know the Army won't exactly be welcoming, but there will be other mutants there. And if I- if we succeed, it will be a big step forward in human-mutant relations." Damn- had he gone a bit far there. The silence in Japan made him wince. He could practically hear Leos eyes shooting up at the other end.

"It's just something I want to do. Same as Donnie wants to become an inventor/scientist thingie. And now that he's gotten that offer from that Government bunch- he'll have the same potential problems as I would have. He'll handle them. And so can I."

"It's not really the same thing, Mikey."

"I'm sure about this, Leo. And Master Splinter said I could." Leo sighed and the conversation passed onto more mundane things. When they rang off, the eldest turtle was left feeling unsatisfied and a bit apprehensive. So he rang his younger bother whose opinion he particularly valued. Of all the turtles, Donatello was the most academically brilliant. In fact, seeing as he'd had 'no formal education' he was wowing the people he'd talked too and had become, almost overnight, a celebrity in some circles. He was ever the quiet one though, and although he did give a couple of lectures, he preferred to spread his own findings and works through the same medium that had made him accidentally famous- written word.

Michelangelo was right- Donnie would be facing the same thing in the world of academia and in the Government labs where he was helping research in medicine and one or two other area that Leo didn't even pretend to know anything about. But aside from mere academic intelligence, his younger brother was also the steadiest of the three younger turtles, who often had good insights into the others' problems. He wondered briefly if the other two would also have produced these insights had they been allowed to. Now that he was separate from them, he wondered uneasily had he been a bit inclined to dismiss their opinions because how could the brash, never serious Mikey or the hot-headed, rough speaking Raph come out with anything world shattering? He didn't like the side of himself that he was wondering about.

He shook his head as he stood there with the phone dangling loosely from one hand as he recalled his mind from zone-out land and dialled the number. His brother picked up on the fourth ring sounding dazed and not very awake.

"He yawn llo?" Leo winced as he recalled the notion of time-zones. Why the hell had Mikey rung him at…three o clock in the morning where he was?

"Sorry, Donnie. I just got a call from Mikey. I'd forgotten the time in New York."

"So you know then." answered Donnie, sounding much more awake. Leo shrugged and figured he may as well continue.

"Yeah. I'm not sure about the whole idea. What do you think?" Donnie sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes as he woke his mind up.

"Two minds. On the one hand- if it's what Mikey wants to do- and if Master Splinter has agreed then what can we say? Also- he's right, in a way. This could be a big step in human-mutant relations. In some circles they're still trying to decide if we should even be given basic human rights. If the Army accepts them, and they prove their worth there, then, well, it would a huge step. And it might be just what Mikey needs. We kinda deserted the two of them, Leo. We did. And I know Raph is still mad at us. Notice how he always manages to be out when we call?"

"Yeah, I'd noticed. And I felt a bit guilty, I guess, over it too. But…"

"What does it have to do with it? Well, Mikey and Raph, to a lesser extent have just been thrown into an entirely different lifestyle. We had a pretty strict, regimented lifestyle- and I'm not complaining. It was necessary and we all turned out well and I mean no disrespect to Master Splinter." he added hurriedly. "My point is, that now the two of them are at a bit of a loose end. Maybe Mikey needs a place with discipline- new training to keep him on the same track.." Leo nodded slowly. Okay- that was a pretty convincing argument.

"And the other mind?" Although Leo couldn't see his brother, Leo recognised the silence as Donnie chewing his lip worriedly.

"Well, I'm not sure how he'll cope." he admitted. Leo drew in breath to speak but Don cut him off quickly.

"Oh, I don't meant the physical stuff- anyone who's spent seventeen years under Master Splinter ought to be able to cope with the physical stuff. No, I mean- look, we may not have noticed, with all his messing, and pranking about but our kid brother's actually quite…sensitive, I guess. You need to be tough mentally as well as physically to be different in the Armed Forces. And he'll be different. Mutant Integration Programme notwithstanding. He'll be a large green turtle in a room full of humans and he'll be bullied and picked on. Again, probably not physically but… I don't know- I'd be worried about that. But overall, if it is what he wants, then, I think we should let him go for it."

* * *

…Mikey read over the letter again critically before shaking his head. Naah. He scribbled something a lot shorter and scowled at that too. He sighed and stuffed the original letter into his locker before sealing the edited version and leaving it for posting. Maybe someday he would tell them about the fights and the taunting that the mutants received but for now keep positive.

* * *

Owzat? Actually doing my Leaving Cert (Irish A-Levels, kinda) at the moment so this is my last update in any of my stories. Please give me some reviews, people- help me through this depressing and exam-my time!

Argh- Maths and Irish tomorrow. And just because the exams have started the weathers glorious- every flippin' year.

Ah well- good luck to everyone else in this position too!

Aries


	4. 4: It's Not Lying, It's Being Economical

**Chapter Four**

**It's Not Lying, It's Being Economical With The Truth

* * *

**

_Okay- some booboos I want to correct. Electrode is dark haired and tallish- yeah, I said he was blond at one point. And, oh yeah. In the letter, that should have been 'see y'all in eleven weeks' Dunno where I got four from.

* * *

Yay! More reviews! Thank-you to my reviewers- you guys are the greatest._

Pacphys- thanks, dude! And the answer's in this fic! Yeah- sometimes corny is just what you need!

Becca T- I have to say I like Paddy too. Kinda sorry what I did to him...(evil grin)

The REAL Cheese Monkey-Thanks! New stuff on its way!

Doll Girl- Welcome to my fic! It's great that someone in the military is reading this and likes it! Please feel free to shout at me if I get stuff wrong!

* * *

"Hey Leo- knew you wouldn't be able to stay away for long!" greeted Don as Leo entered the Lair. Leo laughed and agreed.

"Raph not back yet?" he asked.

"Nah- he'll be a while yet. You know Raph and time- flexible at best!" They settled down in the sitting room and a companionable silence settled as Leo closed his eyes on the sofa- jet-lagged and a bit tense from flying in a plane full of humans who kept sneaking glances at him- worried, confused, fascinated, hateful. Donnie was tinkering with a small machine on his lap which suddenly made a loud 'bing!' sound and Leo leaped about three feet in the air.

"Sorry…" said Don a bit sheepishly as Leo glared at him. His face relaxed into a rueful smile.

"Hell- I've even missed that." he said, shaking his head. "And that is something I thought I'd never say."

Donnie shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I've missed shouting and even occasional wall-thumping from you and Raph arguing and I really thought I'd never say that!"

At that moment Raph came in and looked a bit surprised.

"Didn't know I was that late." he said as they glanced up. He put down the boxes he was carrying as the smell of pizza and hot cardboard wafted through the air or the sewer lair.

"Ah- you're not really. You're earlier then Mikey anyway." said Leo absently before stopping. "Yeah- I forgot." he admitted.

"Weird- isn't it. Only three of us. No Master Splinter, no Mikey here." said Raph as he opened a pizzabox with a practised hand. "I keep forgetting- damn- I've done it again!"

"Mushrooms again, is it?" asked Donnie. Sure enough, there was the topping that only Mikey would eat staring up at them.

Raph sighed. "Ah well- it's not like we can't pick them out."

"Hey- I forgot- got a letter from Mikey today. Didn't have time to open it until now." Leo looked at him and Don didn't meet his eye. Yeah- so he'd saved it till they were all together. So what. He rooted it out of his bag and opened it. It was short and a bit unMikeylike. It was also in Japanese, which caused him to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"Ehm… _Dear Sensei, Don, Raph and Leo_

_Not long to write this so I'll keep it short, I guess. How's everyone there? How's the training going in Japan, Leo? Bet Master Splinter is still beating you in katas every time! Still doing my training every morning- along with all the rest of it! How's Raph getting on with the travelling- probably won't get to talk to him-but I might get a phone-call in a couple of weeks if I don't land myself in any trouble before then! You're the only one with a landline Don, so you're the unlucky one! How's the inventing, anyway? Confusing the other scientists? Any of 'em get snarky- hey you're a Ninja Turtle. And you're smarter then them!…"_

He paused to grin at that. Hah. Sucks to McKehoe and Ruth Reefy and one or two others.

He could take them on! Raph nabbed the letter when he paused and continued it.

_"It's okay here. With the other mutants- Siren- a fierce woman with wings, Steel- he's sound. Guess what he can do. (Hint- the clue's in the name!) Electrode- he can shoot lightening. He's a great guy, actually. Glacier- she's a bit scary but I don't know- maybe she'll lighten up! And some humans- a hilarious guy called Malone and a big guy that everyone kinda respects already- George Henry. With them on our side it's a bit easier. Not too bad here- the physical stuff's okay- getting better now. Oh yeah- why am I writing this in Japanese? And yes Raph, I can in fact write. Don't look so surprised..."_

Raph looked injured and Leo opened his mouth to say something. Raph hurried on.

_"…And no comments from you either Leo. Okay, at least wait till I'm around to defend myself. Was kinda worried my mail'd get rifled through. And I don't see why they should read my mail. At least not without working for it._

_Well- lights out in a minute so I'd better go. See ya all in ten and a half weeks!_

_Mikey."_

"Short." said Raph turning it over to check there wasn't anything on the other side. Unsurprisingly there wasn't.

"Left out a lot, didn't he?" asked Leo, frowning. "Surely after a week and a half, he'd have a bit more news then that? Half of it was a bout us."

"Well, if he's leaving it out, then it's on purpose." replied Raph matter-of-factly. Leo nodded but the frown was still there.

* * *

He was right. Mikey had left out a lot. Althoigh he preferred to think of it as being 'economical with the truth'. But now, thinking back while in the Zen-like state of doing push-ups, he recalled the real events of the past week, after the first weekend.

They had thought they were beginning to be accepted. Sure- there were still the scowls and snide remarks but there were also a (rather lesser number) of hi's and nods. They kept mainly to themselves- or with humans like Malone and Henry who in turn were matey with some of the more moderate humans. Slowly…very slowly, things were looking up.

Then came Thursday, six days after arriving in Hell. When Siren was attacked.

She'd been walking past one of the mens barracks, on her way back from the showers. She was there legitimately, if rather foolishly, perhaps. She knew she should stay with the others- they were all sticking together at the moment, and had good reason for it. It wasn't like they were really expecting anything though. Most of them were just…people trying to get through tough training. And anyway, she was just walking a short distance. And she'd been feeling a little crowded. Sure, they all meant well, but they weren't together out of friendship, really. They were all together because no-one else wanted them. She sighed- a particular conversation with Glacier running through her head.

"Look Glacier- you look human, okay?" Siren stepped in, sounding angry. "You can walk through a room full of strangers and people won't look at you any different. So can Steel if it comes to that. Or Electrode. You just have to be a little more careful of what you do, when you do it. But you can blend in. Me and Mikey can't. Wings, or a shell aren't easy to hide!"

Yeah- she'd been a bit hard on the woman. But she'd annoyed her a bit- going on about it when she could blend in and no-one would no the difference. At times she hated the wings, folded tight against her back, and times when she loved them. And she didn't know Glaciers story. She probably had reason to be bitter. But it had been hard to apologise and the tension had remained between the two women, even in the women's barracks, where sometimes they were half- accepted, when the other women were unanimous in feeling alone against a 'mans army'. Sometimes, the two mutants had to stick together for defence against the bitchier of the women who perversely didn't want them to be accepted too easily after their own trouble fitting in.

Perhaps if she'd been concentrating more on her surroundings and less on her thoughts, she'd have noticed what was happening around her. Her instincts screamed at her too late and she realised she was surrounded by unfriendly faces in a bad place, not close enough to either barracks for help to come, or even for people to realise she'd needed it in the first place.

"And what are you doing out on your own, freak?" asked one of them. She was half-expecting it to be Jackby- that prat that Mikey had taken the legs out from under, that first day. Of any of them, he had reason to feel pissy about the mutants. But no, he was lurking in the back, looking confused and a bit ashamed.

"I'm walking." she replied, staring the leader in the face. He seemed a bit taken aback by the reply.

"Is that all you people can say?" he blustered before recovering as she looked at him strangely.

"Look- we don't want your types here, right?" he recovered enough to spit with some rather less vehement sounds of agreement from the others. Five, she noted, looking at their faces and builds. If she needed to give a description, then she would be able to.

"By that, do you mean women or mutants? Or do you just have a particular vendetta against wings?" she asked coolly. The man scowled at her.

"Bad enough having to have women here. But…animals, too! What is this place, a freaking' zoo? So this is your warning, right? Get out, and get your freak friends out of here too. Especially that bloody turtle! Gives me the willies jus' looking at him!"

"I'm sure he cares." she answered, disgusted at his attitude. He snarled at her and stepped forward, his hand rising almost automatically. She suddenly wished she had a power like Electrode or Glacier, but moved into a fighting stance automatically.

"Hey!" One of the other men stepped forward. "I thought we were just going to give her a scare. I didn't join up for no hittin' women."

"Look- she's either got a right to be here, in which case she's a recruit, and I can hit her. Else she's a woman and shouldn't be here and I can hit her anyway. All I'm seeing is some bitch who just cheeked me!" The hand swung back, curled into a fist and, with Siren briefly distracted by the short row, caught her across the cheek sending her reeling against the wall. She recovered, suddenly more angry then she'd ever been and used the wall to push herself forward and using that extra force to punch into the man. He was caught by surprise, not expecting a woman, and a mutant at that, to fight back. She watched him reel with satisfaction as he fell back and she steadied herself for further attacks. Unfortunately, as the fog of fury cleared, she realised that she was well outnumbered and now all the men looked angry. She tried to keep them all in view but she was encircled and she couldn't see any escape. Except one. Her wings ripped outward, catching them by surprise. She could see the awe and fear as they flew out to full expanse, widening the circle.

"Stop that!" shouted one of them, the leader again. "You bloody _freak_!" He launched himself at her again and this time she could see the glint of steel in his hand. She tried to launch herself into the freedom of the sky but he was gripping her now and she struggled to free herself, pinned. His hot breath hissed in her ear.

"You shouldn't have done that, freak, Now, I'm gonna have to punish ya." It was at that moment that she was truly afraid for the first time.

"Let go of me!" she shouted, hoping someone would here. The useless, useless! men were standing around in shock and discomfort. They hadn't expected it to go this far. She felt something score a painful line across her stomach and the arm pinned to her side and cried out in surprise.

"Ain't no-one can hear ya, freak." he hissed. It bought his face into close contact for a second and she reacted with a headbutt which caused him to screech as something crunched. His grip loosened enough for her to follow up with an elbow and then a well-placed knee. He reeled back again with blood pouring out of his nose.

"Bitch…_Bitch_!" he groaned before his eyes went wild with anger and he came for her again with the knife.

"What's going …? _Siren_!" It was Glacier, and Siren had never been so glad to see another mutants face in her life. Glacier ran towards the tableaux and shoved in front of Siren just as the knife man swung at her. She raised her hands and a lump of ice shot towards him as if she'd thrown it. Siren felt her mouth go dry as she realised how lucky she'd been. Glaciers hair swirled out as she called on her power and suddenly the air went cold- colder then it should have been in May. Siren couldn't see her eyes but the man she was aiming at could and he gasped and dropped the knife. A blast of cold, icy air and hail whistled at him and the frozen drops pelted him painfully. The surrounding men backed away and then three of them fled. It hadn't been meant to go this far. This could mean serious punishment or even being kicked out. One stayed.

Glacier widened her arms into an open circle and moved them upwards. A wall of ice built up around the disoriented man with the broken nose as he was still cowering from the blinding, painful hail and his fear of this strange mutant with the strange eyes! Within a few seconds he was enclosed in a circular cell of ice.

"He can stay there until someone collects him." sighed Glacier turning around. "Siren- are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Siren nodded then shook her head. "Yes, no- I mean, I'm okay." the worried look faded out of Glaciers eyes. Then she noticed Jackby and her eyes narrowed again with loathing.

"What do you want? You can join him if you like!" she snapped, waving at the figure within the shadowy glass-like wall. Jackby shuddered but didn't look up at her. He addressed Siren.

"I…I'm sorry… It…it was never. It shouldn't have gone…I'm sorry. I didn't know Martins was…" he trailed off, looking humiliated and angry.

"But you didn't stop it." she answered quietly. "I was well- outnumbered, and you didn't help me. I could have taken Martins. But if the other three had attacked me, what side would you have been on?" She turned and walked off, armed folded strangely, Glacier half-noticed with a frown. Siren didn't see the look of naked self-loathing and remorse on Jackbys face. Glacier did notice, but wasn't moved. She leaned into him.

"Count yourself lucky, Jackby. That's two. Go near another of my friends and you will have me to deal with." Her icy grey eyes narrowed and her words twisted into his soul. She could easily take him. Glacier walked after Siren without another backward glance.

Back in the womens barracks, Siren sat on her bed, arms folded tightly across stomach. She suddenly felt shaky.

"You sure you're okay? Oh my…Siren!" Glacier had just noticed the blood leaking through Sirens vest-top and on her arm. Siren had just noticed it too and she looked bewildered.

"Ookay- what's happenin' in here?" Three women had just walked in and were looking at them slightly askance. One had a sneer on her face and Glacier could see her jumping to conclusions already. She moved away and scowled at them.

"Siren's been attacked. She's hurt."

"Shut up, Janet. And quit being a bitch." One of them hurried over.

"I've got some training in nursing. Let me see." She coaxed the shocked Siren to lie down on the bed. She lay a bit tilted due to her wings and the woman with nursing experience had to lean at angle to see what was wrong. While she soothed Siren, Glacier, furious, told the story of what had happened to the other two, wavering between sounding accusatory, angry and upset.

"Don't shout at them, Glacier, it wasn't their faults." said Siren, sounding more like herself. She paused. "They told me to pass on that mutants aren't wanted," she added quietly. "They've got it in for Mikey especially."

Glacier snorted. "Not surprised. He caused some trouble."

"Ah, but he's so sweet. He's never shouting and moody, but always has a joke… however dumb. Why would they try get him!" It ended in a squeak as "I'm Leah, by the way" used something to wipe away the blood.

"It's ok, Leah. It's not serious. He only got a swipe in." Siren tried to push her hand away but Leah glared at her and she meekly desisted.

Glacier lapsed into silence with her arms tightly folded across her stomach, unconsciously echoing Siren. One of the other women moved as if to speak and paused. The other one stepped in, a bit more forthright.

"Is she ok, Leah? Dya need a hand?" Leah shook her head. "It's okay, it's not too serious. But you should have gone to the hospital hut. When did it happen- just now I take it?" At her nod she continued. "And do you know who did it?"

Siren raised her hand to her face and winced as the bruise from the first blow made itself felt. She looked at Glacier.

"What do you think, Glacier?" she sighed. "If we hand in that guy you captured, then what. He gets disciplined, the others deny everything. We don't have any proof, they get out and suddenly everyone's on us." Glacier ran her hand through her hair.

"I dunno, Siren." she replied sounding just as tired. "Whose to say whose side they're gonna take Let's not forget, we're the outsiders here. They might decide to stick together- the old boys club."

"So what- you're just going to give up on it and this guy gets away with it?" asked one of the women sounding shocked. "You do have proof- that Siren's wound. And…" she paused. "Did you say you captured one!" Glacier, a bit off balance at this surprise attack, unbent enough to affirm this with a frown.

"How…?"

"When he grabbed her, Siren broke his nose and I put an wall of ice around him." she replied. "Guy called Martins?" One of the women grinned victoriously.

"Martins is trapped out there with a broken nose?" She high-fived the woman next to her with glee, before stepping forward and proffering her hand.

"Congratulations. The man's a pig. I'm Kate Darby by the way." Glacier looked at the hand in confusion. This wasn't what usually happened with humans. Nervous for the first time that Siren had seen her, she put her own hand in Kate's and they shook on it.

"Janet Holloway."

"Glacier…and Siren there." she re-introduced them and suddenly it was as if the last week hadn't happened and they were meeting for the first time on common ground. Which, in a way, they were.

"And I'm Leah Jackson, I think I've already said. We've all had harassment from that moron. If you're gonna make a complaint, everyone will be right behind ya."

"Has no-one else..?"

"Well, it was never anything serious. And nothing provable. And only single women have gotten trouble. No guys have ever seen it so they'll probably think we were being hysterical women, making a fuss over a bit of a joke. And whatever they say, you can't just get people hauled in like that unless it's serious. Unfortunately, you lose respect and the harassment gets worse." She shook her head and hissed angrily: "And then it turns into something like this."

Glacier nodded thoughtfully. "Well, Siren. We've got one idiot out in the cooler with a broken nose. If we report him we'll be supported by the women but probably ostracised by the men."

"This is the sort of thing that could divide the place if all the women go for this lunatic. And except for today… he's never done it when there are other men about. Either way, the other four won't bother us again. I think ya scared three and Jackby…?" She shook her head thoughtfully. "How about we do this…"

Tony Martins hurt. His nose hurt especially. And he was cold. And her eyes. They'd scared him. Especially when she'd hissed those parting words. He felt a bit ashamed. He'd just gotten so angry. She shouldn't have made him angry, he thought self-pityingly. He saw the knife on the ground. He hadn't meant to hurt the winged cow, he thought. The thought of the wings made him shudder. How dare some freak winged bitch attach him? He hammered on the ice wall surrounding him and then paused. Were those shadows around it? He went cold all over. What if she'd run to the Sarge? He could get done for attacking her. He could get thrown out. He stood on the knife, trying to hide it from view. The ice was melting and the first thing he saw was that scary face again with those terrifying eyes. It was her again! He stayed as far back from her as possible but she barely spared him a glance. He looked around. The ice wall was gone, but there was a wall of people instead.

"What.." They were all women. He recognised some. Some were just faces, maybe seen once- for an insulting taunt when they were alone. And when he was too. Most of the others wouldn't stand for it. He couldn't understand that they mightn't mind women in here.

"We all know what you're like Martins. Come near any of us again and you'll answer to all of us." said Leah sweetly, speaking slowly and deliberately, just so he couldn't miss a single word. Or the threat.

"But…you can't want those…things here with us…" he spluttered thickly through the blood from his nose. Siren's eyes narrowed and Leah stepped closer to her.

"If you mean Siren and Glacier, they are part of us. And any attack on them is an attack on all of us." At this some of the women looked a little less certain, but it was perhaps worth accepting the two different ones to get rid of Martins.

"And as for the mutants", another woman spoke up. "They've never started anything. Unlike some of your bunch."

"You saw what that inhuman _thing _did ta Jackby. In front of everyone in the Mess!" cried Martins feeling vindicated. But the women looked even more scornful if possible.

"He had it coming to him, that loser! And we know what Jackby did in the first place and how Mikey met him. Siren told us."

"Get out of here, Martins and get that nose seen to."

"She didn't even use her powers for that one." chuckled someone nastily, causing a ripple of laughter to go through the crowd. That was what finished him off. He stumbled away, leaving the knife on the ground and Siren and Leah shook hands again.

"Sorted."

* * *

Mikey grinned as he switched hands. He hated push-ups, but they seemed to go in for them in a big way here. Yeah, that had been a real turning point. Not so much with the men- Steel and Electrode had been attacked too- both on the Friday. And Malone the day after that. Steel had flummoxed them with his inability to be hurt or intimidated and the man that had unwisely gone for gangly, uncoordinated Electrode had obviously not thought about his name. Ah well, he should be able to sit down soon, when the painful results of that impishly aimed bolt of lightening wore off. His face closed down again as he thought about what happened to Paddy Malone. That had been the one to really sharpen the divide in the training camp between purists and non-purists.

Mikey didn't know what had happened really. Malone was still unconscious and had been transferred to a civvie hospital. That was another thing glossed over in the letter. Poor Malone, all he'd done was be friendly to an unpopular bunch.

* * *

It was the Saturday, just before lunch. They were all taking their turns in the showers and, due to being in separate groups, Mikey and Steel were the only ones of their group together. They were just coming out of the main shower house and were starting towards the Messhall when someone ran up. Mikey recognised the kid as one of the quieter recruits, who was neither for nor against the mutants.

"You know Malone, don't ya?" he asked, breathless and highly excited. "Help him wouldya? I don't know what happened but a bunch of 'em attacked him. He's outnumbered- him and another couple o' guys. They told me to get help! I can't find the Sarge…"

"That way!" yelled Steel pointing towards the Officers Mess and following Mikey at a run from where the kid had just come. They came upon the fight soon enough. There was a crowd surrounding them and a certain amount of milling confusion as some people tried to help Malone, who was outnumbered and shouting blue murder at some guys that had him cornered. Some people were shouting about mutants and Mikey scowled. How dare they go for him just because he was friends with them! Some more people- idiot troublemakers, were cheering both sides on indiscriminately and several were trying to get away with an; 'I'm not involved' look on their faces. Mikey waded right into it, shouting at everyone, pushing people out of the way and occasionally picking up someone who didn't move or who attacked him, and deposited them out of the way, until he got to the melee in the centre.

"You're with them, you bloody traitor!" shouted one of the men. Malone was incandescent and swinging back in outrage.

_"So what if I bloody am, ye gobshites!" _seemed to be the general gist of his incoherent shouting. One or two were backing Malone up but they were outnumbered. Mikey decided he'd better end this as quickly and non-violently as possible. But he was blocked in again as one or two went for him with a shout of 'It's one of them!"

He was just free in time to see Malone go down in the melee and then to thump some guy that didn't seem to mind hitting a man when he was down. Then…Oh thank God- came the sound of the Sarges whistle as the man himself stormed in and people began picking themselves up and more decided that actually they hadn't been here at all but were over the other side altogether.

**"ATTENTION! THAT INCLUDES KENNY AND HORGAN SNEAKING AWAY LIKE THE COWARDS THEY ARE!"**

He was obeyed very quickly by everyone except Malone on the ground, and Mikey who was pulling someone else off him, blocking the Sergeants view.

_"ANGELO WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING WHEN I SAY ATTENTION I MEAN **ATTENTION**! _he screamed without punctuation or breath.

"Sorry sir, Malone's hurt. He's out cold. I think he's concussed." Sarge stomped over and sent someone for the medics. Mikey stood to attention belatedly.

"When I say Attention, I mean Attention, Angelo! And when I say jump, you don't even wait to ask how high- GOT THAT!" he roared, standing right in front of the turtle who didn't flinch.

"YES SIR!" he shouted back, as two medics checked Malone, and, deciding he could be moved, took him away on a stretcher.

"Now, what the hell happened here? No- I don't want to know- You Angelo, Jackson, Hendricks, Fisher and Georges follow me. The rest of you can start running around the Quad. Twenty times. _AND YOU'D BETTER STILL BE RUNNING WHEN I GET BACK!" _He blew the whistle and the chastened recruits fled.

Mikey didn't dare glance around at the others that had been called out but his mind worked furiously to figure out why the five of them in particular had been called out.

"At ease!

He prowled around them as they continued staring straight ahead.

"You five seemed to be in the middle of it. Are any of you injured?" he asked first. There was a noise from Jonny Fisher, who, Mikey could see out of the corner of his eye, looked pale.

Sarge walked over to him.

"Hospital hut with that. Now." The man stumbled off with his arm cradled to his chest.

"Why did I come over here to find almost twenty recruits brawling in the yard! You, Hendricks!"

"Um…Sir- there was a fight between the guy that was injured- Malone and another recruit. Who was calling him a traitor and stuff for hanging around with the mutants. Uh…some other people joined the first guy and attacked Malone, then some of us were trying to help Malone and others to break it up. We sent Daniels to you. Uh…then Steel and Angelo came and were breaking it up, more or less." This was all said fast, as if the faster it was said, the sooner Sarge wouldn't be looming over him. It didn't work, as he stared at the confused recruit until he stumbled into silence.

"And how did the mutants get involved- you didn't start it when they started the hazing?" he asked mockingly, standing in front of Mikey.

"No sir. We weren't here when it started. A young dude ran up ta us- said there was some guys beating up on Malone. We pointed him towards where you were and came down to either break it up or help Malone. Uh…Sir." He winced slightly at the word 'dude' but kept going.

"No other injuries? Go on- twenty laps and this incident is going on everybody's records."

The unfairness of this made Mikey gasp slightly and the sergeant pounced.

"DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS! ANGELO!"

"_NO SIR!" _he yelled back, his face impassive again.

"GOOD!" He blew the whistle and they flew off for twenty painful laps. Maybe his earlier idea of running after a battle wasn't so good...

* * *

He finished the press-ups and stood wearily. A week and a half were gone. Another ten and a half to go.

But now...finally, they had some people on their side.

And others ready to do anything to bring them down...

* * *

Not exactly a cliffhanger, but, y'know, I'm working on it... :)


	5. 5: Names And Other Phenomena

**Chapter Five**

_Names and other Phenomena_

* * *

_Oh, I found out for definite that I was spelling Michaelangelo wrong so I'm spelling it properly from now on. That's why it changes from here on in._

**Doll Girl:** When I started the whole thing about Mikey's surname I did actually have a plan in mind. Then I forgot it and was kinda stuck so thanks for reminding me to sort it out. I'm glad the boot camp scenario seems to be working out, and thanks for the review!

**Kikyophoenix: **?

**Becca T:** Thank-you! I'm glad someone else likes Malone. I think you'll be seeing him again!

**MikeyPhreak:** Thank-you- it's great that people in the military are reading this and aren't actually dying of laughter or trying to sue me so cool!

**Lunar-Ninja:** Thank-you! And see, I've cut down on the swearing!

**The Real Cheese Monkey:** (That's a great name.) Thanks for the review!

**Pacphys: **Ah sometimes you need a bit of woman-power! Yeah- Martins certainly got his butt kicked but good!

**Entropy Mage: **Welcome! Always good to find new suckers- ah, readers… (looks innocent) Thank-you so much for the wonderful review- it really made my day! Good question about Mikey being in uniform. I actually hadn't really thought about it. On reflection, no. Apart from the dogtags and a nametag (don't ask how that's attached, 'cos I haven't a clue!) He'll have a modified dress-uniform but other then that, he goes plain turtle.

**Dani:** Thank-you! Yeah, that's what I thought about the whole thing with the rules and stuff. No, I never thought of Mikey as being anything but the youngest as he is in this fic. With Donnie second- youngest and Raph next and Leo oldest is how it catches me, although it's hard to tell with the two middle turtles, but anyway… Uh, where was I? Oh yeah- Mikey's growing up pretty fast but yup- I think your right- he's still got some issues yet!

_**On With The Show!**_

**Chapter 5**

**Names and other Phenomena **

* * *

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that putting an AK-47 together behind your back is extremely difficult with a shell. Mikey was easily the slowest of all the recruits. His arms simply didn't stretch that far. He had to more or less juggle the components together behind him and guess at how they would fall and try have whatever bit it was supposed to attach to underneath it. Sometimes it worked. More often it didn't. One of the drillmasters- the main one for weaponry- tended to wait till everyone else had finished and then stand right in front of Mikey and shout at him until the dratted object was together. After the first few times he just scowled for a few days and rasped at them. Mikey realised he had accidentally accomplished the impossible. He had given a Master-Sargent a sore throat! After a few more days, things were back to normal with the man either screaming at him or passing him with a look of utter contempt as Mikey struggled with the recalcitrant machinery. He was getting marginally better at not dropping pieces though- only one or two per go rather then six. 

The third Tuesday after they'd arrived in the place Mikey skipped lunch to practise. The drillmaster had simply sighed and waved him in with what sounded like a mutter of needing a miracle.

Mikey sat cross-legged, staring at the pieces of the weapon in front of him and thought longingly of his nunchukus. Now that was a proper weapon. He still wasn't altogether sure he liked the notion of using a gun. It seemed…dishonourable, somehow. It wasn't facing your opponent properly but hoping to pick him off from afar. It wasn't really the way of a ninja. Doubt had begun to creep in as to whether he really belonged here. Why was he here? What was he trying to prove? That mutants could do what humans did? Or that he could survive on his own, without his brothers? It was growing on him that that was possibly why he had made this impulsive move. It was only now, far away from home, staring at a weapon he couldn't assemble and didn't want to use, that he had joined up because he'd felt abandoned by his elder brothers and unsure of what to do. And that he wanted to leave before he was the only one left. He shifted uncomfortably. Yeah, that was real grown-up, wasn't it. He shook his head to shake out the rather self-pitying thoughts and turned back to the task at hand. Namely, his inability to stretch his hands behind his back and still have any of the dexterity needed for the task. He picked up two pieces and tried to fit them together behind his back, stretching out behind the domed shell. He grunted with the effort as his arms protested the strange angle. The two pieces 'clinked' together but the angle was all wrong and they wouldn't slip together. He braced his arm against the wall and pushed. Something clicked all right, but it wasn't the gun pieces. He yelped as his arm went dead but managed not to drop the component. Oh hell, his shoulder was frozen. He tried to gradually move it and winced. Owowow. He sighed and swung it round quickly and the protesting arm 'clicked' again, eliciting another yelp. He scowled at the offending bluey- grey metal, which shined menacingly back at him.

"I think I see what your problem is." said someone behind him, causing him to jump and then berate himself moodily for inattention. He'd been lax. People weren't supposed to be able to sneak up on a ninja.

"I know what the damn problem is." he sighed. "Amphibian arms aren't built for this."

Electrode nodded. "Yeah- bummer there. But if you keep your arms down instead of stretching up and out like that, the angle should be better." Mikey chewed the inside of his cheek in concentration as he tried this. Wasn't like he hadn't tried it before of course but…

"Hang on- right a bit…" Electrode guided him as the two pieces made a very satisfying 'click'. Ow. That was doing his shoulders no good at all. Ah well- whatever worked. That reminded him.

"How's your arm?" Electrode shook it out a bit.

"Still a bit stiff. Whoever that was got in a good thump on the nerve before I could zap him. But not too bad, really."

"Cool- glad ya didn't get too badly hurt, dude. Any word on Malone?" asked Mikey, concentrating on attaching the next piece. Electrode nodded.

"Yeah actually- that's why I came down. He came round today and is coming back- on Friday, I think." He shook his head. "Guy's a lunatic. Ah well. Henry was glad- worried, he was."

"Well, we all were." said Mikey, grinning at the news.

"I guess." replied Electrode, neutrally. Mikey raised an eyebrow.

"What?" The gangly dark-haired man looked away a bit.

"Nothin'. Well, actually- no, there is somethin'; Why's he with us? Him an' Henry both. Thery're doin' themselves no favours really, hangin' around with us. I guess I jus' wondering are they settin' us up for a fall." He coughed a bit ashamedly. "Oh, I dunno. I mean, he did get himself beaten up pretty bad 'cos of being friends with us. But…"

Mikey picked up the last piece and started manoeuvring it into place while he thought.

"Glacier and Siren seem to be fitting in with the woman, don't they. Some of them anyway. "he amended himself. Electrode shrugged unhappily.

"I guess so, yeah. But- ah, I don't know. Maybe I'm just paranoid. But it's weird- a human putting themselves out for a bunch of mutants?"

"Dunno- not all the time… Back before all this broke- several years back now, when me and my bros hadn't been out fighting crime and generally makin' nuisances of ourselves for that long, my brother stopped a muggin' of a reporter. She was injured- Ah!" He interrupted himself to exclaim with satisfaction as the last piece slotted into place. Man- that was not fun on the old arms! He rolled his shoulders and tried to get rid of the cramps as he continued. "Anyway- injured, yeah- and he couldn't get her to a hospital so he brought her back to the Lair to Master Splinter to make sure she was okay. She was…ah, bit leery of us at first. "He smiled at the memory. "…But y'know, she got over it and I think we all count her and another woman- her work partner, Irma- as our closest friends. Along with another guy- human as well, who was also out on our crime-bustin' patch. He's more Raph's particular friend but he'd help any of us out and us him, so…" he shrugged. "Some people are okay with us. Anyway there's what- 6 billion people in the world and how much hate mail do you get a week?"

"Uh…gone down to only the odd one now and then. Mind you, the censor gets most of the weirder stuff. Like the one written in blood."

"You win, my best was tomato ketchup. Well, okay- I'm down to about four. But most of it's from the same one or two small groups. My point is they're forgetting about us. And not all humans were out to get us in the first place."

Electrode nodded. "Y'know, just occasionally, you come out with a bit of sense."

"Why, thank you." he kidded back.

"Hey, don't get cocky- most of the time you're still yourself." Mikey glared back at him and the other man retreated in mock fear, nearly bumping into Siren as she opened the door.

"Oops, walking in on the male-bonding session am I?" she joked, as Electrode tripped and landed on the floor painfully.

"Well, I'm trying to put this yoke together and he's insulting me and falling over, if that counts." He took it apart and started the slow process of rebuilding it behind his back again. It was his third go before he got it together in less than three minutes without dropping any of the pieces. Before the lunchhour was up, he'd cut even more time off. He wouldn't be the fastest there, but just maybe he wouldn't be the slowest anymore either.

* * *

Week three and this thing was still bugging him. He went to Master- Sergeant Fields, his immediate superior, for help. He stood outside, uncharacteristically nervous. He shifted from one foot to the other before knocking. Dammit, yes, it _was_ that important. 

"Come in!" came the shout. Mikey entered, unsure of what to do. He saluted on the grounds that that was rarely out of order. At least, he had yet to hear of anyone being hauled up for saluting. He stood to attention and waited for his CO to look up. Which he didn't.

"At ease. What?" Mikey stood 'at ease' although he was still standing to attention inside. There was no way he could be anywhere near at ease in here!

"Uh…Sir, it's about my name." he stuttered slightly before glowering at himself and telling himself not to be such as baby. Hadn't he survived three older brothers and most of his life training to be a ninja?

Fields looked up. "Your name?"

"Yessir. When I signed up, I wrote my name as Michaelangelo Hamato, but was told that as my sensei, who brought us up, was neither my real father, nor had he legally adopted us, I couldn't use that as my name. Um…Michaelangelo is my first name Sir- um, Angelo isn't my surname…" he trailed off. If he could blush, he would have had. He felt like an idiot. Or a child with this man glowering at him in disbelief. He had a sudden urge to run for the hills but figured the worst was nearly over.

"Sensei?" the Sergeant asked, catching Michaelangelo off balance. He recovered and nodded.

"Um…yessir. He is a Japanese teacher of martial arts. Ninjitsu."

"And… he is also a turtle?"

"Nossir- uh…he's a rat." The mans eyebrows quirked slightly, trying to see if this was some sort of game. Mikey would need all the help he could get if he decided it was! But Fields, being uncharacteristically nice, decided to drop the subject, before the recruit keeled over in confusion and panic. Not that he was going to take it easy on him! His eyebrows moved back into that forbidding scowl again.

"Why didn't you say anything before? And what do you want me to do about it?" Mikey got a bit tongue twisted as he tried to figure out which to answer first. Nether seemed particularly appealing.

"Um…took me a while to notice the nametag was wrong." he admitted, embarrassed. "And then, with uh…everything goin' on…. I did say it to someone but... uh, nothing came of it." He hoped he hadn't sound too much like he was either complaining or an idiot. Or both.

"Dogtags!" Fields demanded brusquely.

"Uh…I don't have any, Sir. When I raised the matter first, they didn't give me any- told me to wait until the name issue was sorted. And then…" he stuttered into silence. The mans eyes were piercing through him in a flinty scowl. He had a sudden insane idea to hold a match in front of it- see if it would light. Fortunately, he managed to control the suicidal impulses and even met the Master- Sergeants eyes. The CO was good but still only second place to Master Splinter when it came to a truly intimidating Look.

"You've been walking around for three weeks in here without 'tags!" he demanded. At Mikey's affirmative he sighed angrily.

"Out. Leave. It'll be sorted out."

"Uh…thank you Sir."

"But believe me, Hamato- if it wasn't for the fact that you're new and green, it'd be your balls on the line as well as those of the other idiot. As is- you survive this piece of stupidity." Mikey looked confused, but began to back away towards the door. What did being green have to do with it? Ah well, he was just grateful that someone in authority had called him by his proper name. He saluted and fled.

* * *

"So what does being green have to do with anything?" he wondered out loud that evening in the Mess, where most of these conversations seemed to take place. 

"Green?" Electrode too looked confused, until Henry helped him out.

"Military parlance- means you're young and foolish, not the colour of your skin."

"Aahh- that makes sense now. So- what do you lot have on your tags then?" he asked, interested. The other mutants glanced at each other, each daring another to go first.

"Robertson, G." muttered Glacier with a blush. "They somehow found background stuff on me but not my first name. But they've yet to actually use the name so I guess I can live with it."

"Ferreted out everything on me" admitted Electrode. "Thomas, D. at your service."

"D?" asked Henry, curious. Electrode gave him an inscrutable smile. "I have to keep some secrets you know." he said mysteriously, before spoiling the effect by leaning his chair too far back and overbalancing. This prompted flailing hands and a wild grab by Siren who was closest, before he was upright again, to a certain amount of sniggering from both his own table and others. Siren noticed with a raised eyebrow that there was considerably more normal sniggering then the just nasty stuff. Glacier noted with scorn that they'd always laugh at a mutant. Mikey didn't notice the difference at all, still thinking about his narrow escape from earlier. Electrode recovered and looked pointedly at Siren.

"Rhodes, S. Even I dunno what my real name was. Found at the site of the Colossus at Rhodes as a baby by a- probably short-sighted American couple who thought I was cute. Got me in as an American citizen with that name but got bored with having a freak baby and dumped me off in an orphanage. Got rescued by Professor Xavier's School." She said it simply but with a certain amount of defiance.

"Just Steel." said Steel tactfully before anyone- especially Glacier! could say anything. "They couldn't dig up anything on me." Mikey would find that interesting on later reflection.

"Well, it looks like at least I might now get my tags sometime this year! But if I'd known just how scary that guy can be, I think I could've learned to live without 'em!"

"Yeah- until something messy happens to you and no-one can identify the pieces 'cos you're not wearing 'tags." said Siren, with one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't matter, cos if I'm the only one without 'tags then it'd be fairly obvious."

"Plus he's green. I think he'd be fairly easy to ID."

"Can we move off this subject please. Mashed recruit doesn't go well with potato, thanks."

"Oh, I don't know. What do ya reckon Fields is eatin' right now?" asked a new voice with a distinctive accent.

"Malone! You're back!"

"Master of the obvious there, Mikey! Malone- you don't look too good." said Electrode.

"Right back at ya, Electrode!" replied both Mikey and Malone in unison and laughed.

"Pull up a chair and have some…uh, unidentifiable mush" said Siren, tugging out a chair, which Malone sank into.

"Mmm, unidentifiable mush- my favourite."

* * *

_Dear Sensei, Leo, Raph and Don,_

Dunno why I'm still doing this really. By this point I know I'm never going to send any of these letters. I'll just write a short note, glossing over the bad stuff and avoiding saying…well, pretty much anything about anything. Still in Japanese as this is turning more into a diary affair then anything else and not something I want anyone else to get their mitts on. Especially whathisface, the prat three beds up. He nicked Joey Nicholsons letters the other day and taped them to the roof the other day. Poor guy- they were to his girlfriend back home. He was as red as a tomato. Couple of us helped him get them down and had a private conversation with the guy. Everyone was more or less on our side, even if they'd found it hilarious, 'cos everyone knew it could be their turn next which wouldn't be as funny.

Malone's out of the civvie hospital. He's tough, I'll give him that. He's also crazy, I think, which might help. Electrode was a bit suspicious of him and Henry- the friendly ones, so I told him about April, Irma and Casey. He's gradually accepting that not all humans are self-helping, cruel, idiotic and selfish. Glacier on the other hand, isn't. What's strange is that I now know Sirens story. She was abandoned as a small baby at Rhodes- she's the one with the wings, so it was fairly obvious she wasn't normal. Found by an American couple, brought here, then abandoned into an orphanage when they got bored with having a mutant baby. And yet, she's not bitter. Or at least not nearly as much so as Glacier, who does at least look normal. Ah well.

Name's finally sorted. I now have dogtags with _Hamato, M_. on them! Master- Sergeant Fields nearly went ape on me when he realised I'd been hiking around this place for three weeks without any. But he decided to let me live on the condition that I'm not so stupid again. And it was worth it to be finally called Hamato rather then Angelo. Well apart from one of the trainers who's doing it just to be annoying I think.

So what else? Oh yeah, automatic weapons training. I've discovered that I really don't like guns. There's something…I don't know…about them. Also discovered that trying to put one together behind my back is…tricky to say the least! Was the slowest for ages. Wasn't helped by the weaponsmaster screeching at me until it was done- which just slowed me down! Kinda funny actually- accomplished the impossible. Gave a Sergeant a sore throat! Electrode gave me a hand though and I think I've got it. Hey, this afternoon, when we were at it again, I was a fairly respectable fifth finished. Not sure whether Sergeant Barry was disappointed or not! But he didn't shout at me so I figure that's all to the good! We haven't started firing them yet. Bit nervous of the whole thing to tell you the truth. Doesn't seem quite right somehow. Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm being stupid again.

Anyway, what else has been happening? Oh yeah…

* * *

_Dear Sensei, Leo, Don and Raph_

Week three and everything good! Not much happening at all really. Moved onto weapons training and we're starting hand-to-hand on Tuesday. Weapons training at the moment is just putting AK-47s together behind our backs so far. The shell was a bit tricky but I've got the hang of it now.

So what's going on at home…?

………..

* * *

_And Malone's back in the game! For the moment anyway. Please review- and Chapter six will be up soon!_


	6. 6: White Flag

**Chapter 6**

**White Flag**

_Okay, I'm dedicating this chapter to Lunar-Ninja for her last review. Thanks to all who did though! Please keep reviewing!

* * *

_

"Specs?"

"Um…5.56 caliber, 8.8 pounds with sling and 800m range for area and 550 for point target."

"Yup- but you missed a bit- in weight."

Mikey thought for a second then slapped his head. "Man- I never remember all the specs right- 8.8 including sling and one loaded magazine."

Steel grinned from where he was practising weights across the gym.

"If…fifteen…you're not gonna…sixteen…remember to load your weapon…seventeen…remind me not to be on your team… eighteen… nineteen… twenty." He placed the weights back into the cradle and Electrode, who'd been spotting for him, relaxed.

"You mind not talking while you're doin' that." he complained good-naturedly. "I'm always afraid you're gonna drop 'em and I'm not gonna be able to catch them."

"Fine, smartass." called back Mikey as he took his place with weights at the other side of the room. "M9- description and specs."

_"A semi-automatic, single-action / double-action pistol. The M9 is the primary sidearm of the U.S. military, replacing the .45 caliber model M1911A1. The M9 has a 15-round staggered magazine with a reversible magazine release button that can be positioned for either right- or left-handed shooters."_

Mikey sat up and stared at Steel along with the others as the brown-haired man reeled it out without glancing at the book near Mikey. He was word perfect.

"Steel- we haven't done that one yet." he said once he'd removed his jaw from the floor. Steel merely smiled sweetly and went back to spotting for Electrode.

"Right, now I feel stupid…" muttered Mikey and went back to studying the book.

They were interrupted by Malone coming into the gym holding his jaw and looking mildly dazed."Malone! What happened to you- get into another fight?" asked Siren, who hadn't yet spoken.

"Nooo…not exactly…" he sat down and Siren peeled his hand away from his chin.

"Yeah…that's gonna hurt", she said. "Another beauty to add to the collection, but nothing's broken."

"What happened? Malone." asked Mikey, his eyes narrowed. "Was it that git, Martin again?"

"No…I've never seen her before…" he answered. "Some woman comes up to me, shouts 'Beastly giant moth!" at me and socks me one! And legs it! Does that make any sense to you?"

There was a long pause as everyone processed this.

"Moth? Not mouth then?" asked Electrode carefully. "'Cos you know, calling you a big-mouth I'd understand. And agree with."

"Nooo…definitely moth…" Steel's eyebrows shot up.

"Congratulations Malone", he said formally, shaking the red-haired man's hand. "You win the prize for the weirdest thing to happen all day."

"Oh goody…" muttered Malone darkly, sounding more like himself. "What's the prize?"

"Free trip to the hospital hut. Come on. I'll save you from any more rampaging ex-girlfriends…" he added humorously. They could hear Malone complaining as he left with the quiet man who was having a hard time not sniggering.

"But she wasn't even an ex... I've never even seen her before…" trailed back up the corridor. The four mutants in the room stayed in silence for about ten seconds before the usually staid Glacier made the mistake of catching Mike's eye and they both collapsed laughing. That did it. Siren and Electrode were off as well.

_I'm sorry people, I couldn't resist that. You'll either get it or you won't...

* * *

_

"Three weeks, people. We survived three weeks." said Steel formally.

"Hey, he's right. Weapons training! We're into White Flag- Gunfighter Phase." said Siren, surprised.

"Why, what were we in before?" asked Mikey, trying to remember. Electrode whapped him on the back of his head.

"Red Phase, ya moron. They've only been telling us pretty much every morning. 'Patriot Phase'? 'Bloody Hard Work Phase'? A-ringin' any bells here?"

"All right, all right. You've made your point." complained Mikey good-naturedly, rubbing his head.

"So, this section focuses on team-building, weapons-training with emphasis on guns, and discipline." mused Glacier, thoughtfully. They found themselves glancing around. The hall was still rowdy enough but it was interesting to note the changes in the people. They had lost almost a sixth of the original recruits, who'd found that the discipline of the Army wasn't to their taste after all and those left were all tougher then they'd been before, honed and beginning to function as part of a whole. Even their own table, while not perhaps as crowded as some others, had more people to it then it would have had two weeks, or even a week ago. Marginally more women then men at their table, compared to others- Siren especially had managed to make friends amongst the women and chatted with those close by as well as with the mutants. Glacier, reserved and cool by nature, would always find it harder to make friends then the more outgoing Siren. But through Siren, more humans had gotten to know the other mutants, even Mikey, who had been a source of morbid fascination by those who found it hard to accredit something so unlike them with human thoughts and emotions. But for those willing to make any effort to see him as a person, Mikey was cheerful, pleasant and funny, and was winning allies from the neutrals at every mealtime.

In fact, if Siren was any judge of her own sex, Fiona Leamy was looking entirely too predatory for her liking. Siren narrowed her eyes at the offender who was staring with a calculating look at the humanoid turtle. She shook her head. Some people were just strange. Relationships, or fraternisation, were forbidden, and natural law suggested interspeciel relationships should be off-limits, but…some people were just weird. She herself didn't like Mikey in that way at all, but was finding herself feeling protective of her team-mate, who would be unlikely to have had much experience with people like Leamy. She turned her glare onto another woman, Cathy Scott, who had an almost identical look as Fiona, except this one was directed at Steel. She shrugged. While she didn't want Steel hurt either, he would almost certainly have more experience with predatory females then the innocent Mikey! She turned her attention back to her team-mates, after an extra scowl in the direction of Fiona Leamy who noticed this time and looked away quickly, and tried to pick up again on the conversation.

* * *

Night team-building exercises. Oh joy. On the plus side, the mutant team had been kept together for this particular one. Mikey noticed that they often seemed to be kept together and wondered why. Most of the other groups had a high rate of turnover but not the mutants. Oh sure, they got moved around a bit- only yesterday, he'd been on an all-human team. And it had gone…okay. No better, no worse then most of the other teams. But not as well as the mutant team working together. Maybe because they had bonded as a team of outcasts at the beginning, maybe because they were getting used to working together, they were getting good, and almost always finished in the top three- better then most other individuals. Actually, he noticed that the groups were getting moved around less and less now. Teams seemed to be building when they found a dynamic that worked. He grinned. Things would start getting interesting now! 

A bit too interesting perhaps. This time they had to complete an obstacle course affair with all sorts of distractions, mainly involving simulated gunfire and explosions around them in the dark. Mikey was crawling under a net, trying to avoid the lumps that meant mines (which covered the unwary with red paint and forced them out of the exercise to get shouted at). It was muddy in some areas- which at least didn't have mines and also helped disguise them so the 'gunfire' wasn't aimed at his team much. He was team-leader for this exercise and found himself half way between enjoying it and being terrified. Man, was this how Leo felt the whole time? Responsible for everyone else. But… He checked automatically for the rest of his team- Siren, Glacier, Steel…ah, crap, where the hell was Electrode? He cursed himself for his moments distraction…there he was. A 'mine'. The blond man was spattered with red paint and not moving. It was just an exercise. It wasn't like he'd be hurt… But… Mikey shook his head after the split-second thought. Damn- they'd lose fastest team for this but… He signalled Siren, behind him. She was to lead the rest of the team on to the final challenge, the 'Wall' and he'd go back for Electrode. She frowned but nodded. He was team-leader, and when 'under fire' she'd obey him if he didn't put the team at risk. Time to disagree later, when they were safe.

He crawled back and touched Electrode. 'Dead' people were supposed to stay down until after the exercise, to be shouted at later. But Electrode didn't stir. Mikey realised with horror that the 'mine' hadn't been a fake like the others! And that wasn't red paint either! He wondered how to end the exercise. He tried calling out but no-one could hear over the noise. He couldn't get out the sides either- they might as easily be booby-trapped. Who the hell would have done this? Electrode stirred- he was just stunned, Mikey was relieved to note. He picked him up with some difficulty and more scrabbled then crawled under the net, having to keep even closer to the ground with the injured man on his back. Even so, it would be faster and safer then Electrode trying to move on his own, and he needed to be got out of the danger-zone and checked out quickly. His blood ran cold as he realised that up ahead might be trapped as well- if so, he'd sent his team right out into it! He wriggled out as fast as he could, trying to remain silent still. No-good attracting 'gunfire' onto themselves as well- he needed to be able to think- and not be pinned down. This was where his ninja training came in useful- despite his handicap, he was out from under the netting before most of the other teams. Siren was waiting, camouflaged by mud, at the Wall. He briefly thought she'd make a good ninja also- he hadn't even seen her until almost on top of her.

"Steel's in charge- do you need help?" He glowered at her for a second so she'd know he wasn't happy about her disobeying orders before waving her up the Wall.

"Quickly- tell Sarge that Electrode really has been hurt. One of the mines was live." Her eyebrows shot up and she glanced at Electrode with worry before shooting up the Wall. Ten seconds later the simulated gunfire and explosions went quiet, much to the confusion of those recruits still squirming under nets or running around. Some glared at Mikey, suspecting rightly that it was his fault somehow. Some looked at him gratefully for much the same reason.

Fields suddenly appeared, worried and furious.

"Move." he demanded as he approached Mikey. Mikey had put Electrode down and thought he was sure it was only a few cuts as well as his being stunned. It obviously hadn't been a big mine or Electrode would undoubtedly be dead.

Fields checked him over and seemed to reach the same conclusion. There was every possibility of a concussion though, so Electrode would need to be checked out properly. In the meantime…

"Alright, you lot! UP AND RETRACE YOUR PATHS! DON'T VEER OFF 'EM! AND STAY OVER THERE WHEN FINISHED! YOU SHOULDN'T STILL BE HERE!" MOVE IT!" The unfortunate men and women who hadn't been fast enough crawled backwards at speed as the nets lifted. There certainly shouldn't have been any live artillery out in a training ground so the whole area would have to be gone over with a fine-tooth comb. In the meantime, two medics rushed over, loaded Electrode up on a stretcher and ran off again.

"Hamato, come with me. Rhodes, you also." He blew his whistle. "Push-ups- both sides of the Wall- more of you should have been on this side!" Both winners and losers groaned at this punishment but set to anyway.

* * *

Mikey and Siren followed Sergeant Fields to his office, wondering if they were going to get yelled at, but more worried about Electrode. Siren didn't look at Mikey, both mad with herself for not wanting him to go back for Electrode in a training exercise and ashamed that she would have left Electrode injured had she been leader. Or would she? She wrestled with herself as she tried to figure it out. Mikey was thinking too- had the live mine been an accident? Or deliberate- it was right in the path of the mutant team after all. But would someone have known which team would be where? And why such a weak one? Accidental again? Or just making use of what resources there were? No- if it was deliberate, it seemed more likely that it was only meant as warning not a murder attempt or anything like as serious. A death would make a martyr for one thing and even swing support towards the mutants. So…no. Or was it just a mistake? 

"What happened?" Fields was staring at Mikey, as teamleader for the exercise. Mikey gave what had happened in as few words as possible.

"Why did you go back?" asked Fields interested. "It was only a training exercise?" Mikey opened his mouth but closed it again. Why had he gone back?

"I…felt Siren could lead the team to the Wall- it didn't seem right to leave Electrode behind…I…uh.." He bit his lip, sure he was about to get shouted at. But to his surprise Fields nodded slowly and dropped the subject.

"Is your team still having problems integrating with the other recruits?" he asked. Mikey and Siren glanced at each other.

"It's getting better, Sir." answered Siren after a second. "After the attacks, people seemed to support us more. The women are okay with Glacier and I now for the most part. I can't speak for the mens barracks." She glanced towards Mikey.

"Still split, but not too bad. Mostly people seem to have accepted us now, Sir" he answered carefully. Fields nodded again. He hadn't really expected to be told if there were major problems but he'd noticed more about what had happened then the recruits thought.

"Rhodes- fetch the rest of your team." he ordered. Siren left and Mikey wondered whether to follow. He decided he hadn't been dismissed and stood, rocking slightly as he tried to decide what he should do.

"Hamato, stay here."

Mikey stood still again at attention and waited.

"You should be careful about possibly compromising as mission by going back. But you showed good leadership skills by returning for one of your men. Good." Mikey managed to keep his mouth from dropping open at this unexpected praise. He managed a weak "Thank-you Sir" and stood still.

Siren returned with Glacier and Steel.

"I have a proposition for you. You don't have to feel obliged to accept or reject it now, especially not until after you have spoken with your teammate. A specialist branch of the Army has requested this team. They are known as Special Operations. This is a highly unusual request but…these are unusual circumstances."

The four recruits stood there in surprise with different thoughts flashing through their heads as they listened. They would be allowed- have to- finish their basic training and qualify well. Then they would go to a special programme, not the usual AIT (note- Advanced Individual Training) for specialist training. They would stay as a team. Whichever way they decided, it would need to be kept very quiet- nothing said in the Sergeants office was to go outside it. When Electrode was better, he would be called in and briefed by Fields. They would have a week after Electrode's briefing to decide.

"You may or may not have heard…bad press about the section known as 'Black Ops'" he told them. "Don't be influenced by gossip- make the decision yourselves. It is true that in Special Ops you may be ordered to do things that you wouldn't do otherwise. That is true in any area in the Army, and if you're not prepared to take orders you shouldn't have joined."

Mikey could tell what everyone was thinking but weren't sure how to ask. Would they be given a leader-a human- that wouldn't fit in and might resent them for what they were? He drew in a breath. He didn't want to ask but was afraid not to. He certainly didn't want Glacier- who he could see was shaping up the question- to ask it in her sneering way which would get them all into trouble if the wrong answer was given.

"Permission to speak Sir?" he asked. At Fields nod he continued, hoping he wasn't going to get hit by lightening. "Sir, what…are we going to be given a… a human team-leader?" he asked as neutrally as possible,

Fields lips shrank and were whitish. He was angry at something, that was for sure and Mikey wondered what was going to happen now. The other recruits watched with bated breath, half-expecting fried-turtle for tonight's Mess-Hall menu.

"Do you want a human team-leader?" he asked them.

"No Sir." answered Glacier, getting in there first.

"I didn't think so. _This is off-the record_. As it happens the Powers-That-Be agree with you. The people requesting your transfer are suggesting that if suitably qualified, and if nothing happens in the meantime to change their opinions, Michealangelo Hamato will be team-leader and Siren Rhodes 2IC. Otherwise, you'd be a normal team, under the same officers as any other team. These are recommendations only and by no means definite. Frankly it is highly irregular to even suggest it openly at this point in the proceedings." He leaned back to watch their reactions, knowing it would tell him a great deal about the recruits. Mikey was completely floored by the suggestion. Siren looked equally shocked. A look flashed across Glaciers face and vanished. That was interesting. Just as interesting was the absolute lack of emotion displayed by Steel. Almost as if he'd been expecting it all along…

* * *

_**Dum dum DUM!**_

_Sorry to anyone who thought I was losing track of my plotline for the last chapter or so- it was kinda meandering along there…but now things are about to get interesting…_

_Oh yeah- damn, hate to spoil my exit line up there but can anyone tell me if, when I replace a chapter with new content, will I lose all the reviews for that chapter too?_

_Thanks, Aries_

_Btw. info on the AK and the M9 came from and _


	7. 7: Decisions

Chapter 7

Decisions

_Sorry that's taken so long- my computer (which was renowned for being a useless piece of junk anyway- sold by a complete chancer who then went out of business, the $& and has since done the rounds of every flippin' repairshop in the city….Anywho) got the dreaded Premium Line virus and as I had no wish to pay E80 a minute, I couldn't connect. I now have a new computer (my prrreciousss…!) but had to write the whole chapter out again as I couldn't transfer stuff cos my old comp was so bad that even virus-checkers couldn't deal with it… etc etc. You get the point._

_I will now get on with the story…_

_So:_

* * *

Donnie was worried. He was being given a transfer to a top-secret project- something connected with the military. As a civilian, he didn't have to accept- and if he chose not to, that would be the end to it- he would never hear another word on the subject. If he did accept then he would be at a whole 'nother level in scientific endeavour. Of all the places that was advanced in science and invention, it was this secret base in Nevada. But he didn't know what it was they were involved in. If it was military weapons testing- or worse- biowarfare- then he couldn't- wouldn't do it! Apart from the moral implications, how could he be involved in creating something that might get his own brother killed? Karma had some nasty tricks up her sleeve. 

He needed to talk to his brothers.

* * *

Raph was worried too. He'd been at several mutant strongholds and wasn't sure he liked what he saw and heard. People were nervous- more then nervous. In several places, people had resigned themselves to a war which they were certain was approaching. Their daily lives were lived in twanging tension. Others were gathering arms together and both sides were watching each other for the straw that would break the grim peace between the two factions. Even ordinary people -of both sides- were feeling the mood and the atmosphere of most big cities, where humans and previously unsuspected mutants lived close together, was tense. Rioting and levels of violence had gone up too- sudden attacks, mainly by humans on mutants- or suspected mutants, followed by revenge attacks, which could so easily get out of hand- leaving wounded and dead on both sides. He and Donnie had started going out on patrol again- when they were both in the city. But even those they rescued or helped were scared of them, especially if they were human. And they had to be very careful that they didn't get labelled as human-sympathisers or they could end up in big trouble. There had been a few cases of mutants being hurt or killed by other mutants for being collaborators with humans. People were scared. Things got out of hand. They needed to be very careful. Things were on the edge, and the slightest thing could set off civil war. He was beginning to wonder should they get out of the city before things erupted. 

He needed to talk to his family.

* * *

Leo wasn't quite as worried; being at a further remove, he didn't quite know how serious it was. But he watched the American news and both he and Master Splinter worried about the others. He wasn't too scared about Donnie in his labs. He talked to Don every day or two and was reassured that the atmosphere in the labs wasn't bad and that he had human friends there too. He wasn't sure whether he should be worried about Mikey, in his training camp. On the one hand, they were the most high-profile mutants in America, though they didn't know it, and if anyone was going to be attacked- well, they would be a pretty noticeable target. On the other hand, what harm could come to them in an Army base. Surely by definition, it was one of the safer places to be in! No, it was Raph he was most worried about for the moment- Raph, who was closer to the danger and the streetfights then any of them. If there was anyone who was likely to end up in trouble, it was the hot-tempered red turtle. He wished they were together again- he hated being separated from his younger brothers. Talking it over with his Sensei he wondered if they should see if the others would come to Japan, where the fighting wasn't so fierce and people didn't seem to care as much whether someone was a mutant or not. Also, they were away from the cities where people tended to be the worst about a person's looks. 

"I confess to wondering the same thing, Leonardo." The elderly rat answered after a minute. He stood up and walked to the window. Outside there was not a person to be seen. They were at a little known training grounds in Japan, near the sea. Only Ninja masters knew how to get here, and only they could bring people- pupils mainly- here. Splinter was respected in this place now- after he and his sons had won back honour by the death of the Shredder and the proof of the Shredder's evil trick on Splinter's master. The other people respected his age and his wisdom and Splinter was happier back in his native land, Leo was relieved to note. The other people there had accepted the presence of a rat and a turtle after a few days- they were all training together, and irrational hatred was not supposed to be the Ninja way. It was distracting for one thing. Also, Leo could beat most of the other pupils in a fair fight and give the rest a good battle. He was advanced for his age and the others were working to beat him. But there was no malice there- they just wanted to honourably beat one who was a better fighter.

"Should we go back and talk to the others?" asked Leo. Splinter paused again, warring with himself. His sons needed to find their own paths in life and they had chosen them. But…they were his children and could be in danger. He nodded finally.

"We will tell them what we suspect and ask if they will come back with us. I do not like them being back there- where I suspect the danger is increasing. But it is their choice and we cannot force them."

"What about Mikey?" asked Leo, frowning. The youngest turtle was uncontactable, except by snailmail, and it was hard to communicate this sort of thing by letter. Not that they'd not written to the orange turtle- they all had, even Raph occasionally. They had followed Mikey's example and written in Japanese, which did make it a lot easier to communicate without fear of giving away anything to outsiders.

"I received a letter from Michealangelo today. He is one of the recruits who are getting two days leave mid-training. It falls in four days time. We will talk to him then. But I fear he will not come- it his on his honour to fulfil his training at this camp, and I cannot encourage him to forsake that. Nor would I."

Leo nodded. Of course they couldn't try make him quit midway through. But, he privately acknowledged, he rather wished he could!

* * *

Mikey was worried as well, though for a completely different set of reasons- he didn't even know what was going on outside the insulated training camp. He wasn't sure that he wanted to be in the special branch known commonly as Black Ops, but he couldn't think of a proper reason why not, except for vague feelings of unease and his gut instinct. He was honoured and gobsmacked that he had been chosen leader and therein lay another set of problems. Could he lead this team? He was seventeen- younger then everyone with possible exceptions of Glacier and just maybe Electrode. Well, okay that placed him in the middle, but nevertheless, youngest was a role he had played for his whole life and he wasn't sure if he was either ready or suitable to suddenly be in charge of a team. After leaving Fields' office, they had all walked slightly apart as they considered the proposition and had separated in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Mikey went, almost without thinking, to the hospital to see Electrode. 

Electrode was asleep when he arrived, head and arm bandaged and Mikey sat down in the chair beside the bed with a sigh. He felt deeply guilty that Electrode was hurt even though he knew it wasn't his fault. He had been team-leader _(how could he be team-leader –he couldn't even prevent something like this in a damn exercise!)_- and as such was responsible for whatever happened to his team. He couldn't look at Electrode but instead stared at the wall at the base of the bed while he thought about it all.

"Hey." said someone behind him. He didn't need to look to recognise Siren's voice.

"Hi." He replied dully. He heard a sigh and the sound of scraping. She pulled a chair up and sat.

"Doc says he'll be fine tomorrow. They're keeping in tonight for observation but he's grand really. He's just sleeping the shock off."

"Oh..." Mikey felt his skin tinge red as he berated himself for not finding out before now. Dammit- he should have! He shouldn't need Siren telling him the condition of one his team. His team- oh hell. He rubbed his hand shakily across his forehead, where the bandanna was still plastered with the blood and grime of last night's training exercise. Electrode's blood. He pulled it off and looked at it with detached disgust.

"Hey, at least it wasn't your whole uniform," Siren put in dryly. He half-smiled and shook his head.

"What do you think about all this?" he asked, with a note of pleading in his voice. She shrugged.

"I…don't know. About any of this," she said with raw honesty and Mikey nodded in agreement. She looked around the room. They were alone but she lowered he voice anyway. "Why Black Ops? Why do they want us in particular? What are we going to be used for? I assume they want us because we're mutants. So they're going to use us for our special abilities. So if we join them, knowing this, then we're voluntarily signing away our… powers to be used at their whim. We won't own ourselves and we won't own our abilities. That's what I don't like about all this."

Mikey nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'd pretty much gotten that far too. But… we've already signed our lives away, haven't we? If our abilities are all that they want- then they're theirs already. What'd the point of this?"

Siren shrugged again.

"I don't like this either..." said Mikey suddenly. "I have a feeling that there is more to this then meets the eye- not that any of this meets the eye!" he added with a grimace.

"Another thing that I don't like about this is that they told us that if we joined we would be leader and 2IC. I think that sounds more in the nature of…"

"…a bribe." finished Mikey grimly. "Yeah, I was wondering about that too. Glacier and Electrode in particular listen to you. I reckon if you wanted to convince them then you could- either way."

"And as much as I hate to feed your ego, we all listen to you. I think we were chosen to convince the others as much as for any particular leadership abilities. They want us." She paused and ignored Mikey's hurt look about the jibe to his ego. "Glacier listens to me? I'd never noticed she had anything beyond general contempt for all of us." Mikey raised an eyebrow.

"You kidden' me? She looks up to you. Out of all of us, you have the best relationship with her. Whether it's because you're both women and had to face the womens' barracks together, or because of the fight with Martins, she looks up to you- and to you as…if not a friend yet, certainly a potential friend."

Siren looked shocked.

"Whoa…you've been thinking about this."

Mikey shrugged.

"We're a pretty odd team dudette. But I think we'll make it. But as for the Ops question, I think I'm comin' down on the no side."

Siren nodded slowly and stood up. "Even if it means giving up the leadership of the team over it?"

"Yes. I'm not risking the team if possible- and this sounds way too deep for a bunch of greenies." She smiled slightly and prepared to leave, glancing at Electrode.

"He's okay- and that whole thing wasn't your fault. You coming? It's dinner now." Mikey shook his head.

"Naah, I'll just stay here for a while. Till he wakes up- make sure he's ok." She nodded again and moved a few steps towards the door before hesitating and turning back.

"What I said before- about not being sure about any of this? I was wrong. I am sure about one thing. They picked the right person to lead. You'd be a good leader." She walked out quickly and Mikey was left staring at the swinging doors in shock.

* * *

Electrode was at breakfast the next morning. He was under orders not to be pushed too far for a day or two and the instructors had the same warning. Electrode wasn't sure whether to be glad or not. He settled on mildly disgruntled. 

"Ah, cool it Electrode, it's shooting this morning you can take full part in that." Steel told the mutinous blond man cheerfully.

"Yeah, I guess. Was there any word as to why the thing went off anyway? It shouldn't have been there in the first place."

"Too right it shouldn't have been," scowled Glacier, looking up. "But because there's no way anyone could have predicted who would be where at any given time, it's being treated as an accident. Myers down in organising and supply got bawled out this morning over it." Mikey gave up wondering how the icy woman got all her information- she always seemed to know everything that was going on, although he never saw her speaking to anyone.

"You don't believe it was an accident, do you?" asked Siren shrewdly. Glacier didn't say anything but snorted with enough violence as to lose the cornflakes on her spoon.

* * *

Mikey was beginning to enjoy weapons-practice for all he still didn't like guns too much. He was relieved to note that he was now one of the faster in the group at putting the firearms together and the instructor tended to pass him with a mildly approving glare as opposed to his customary scowl. That pleasure was reserved for poor Fredericks who got the brunt of the shouting as well. The hapless recruit had no co-ordination whatsoever. 

He was fourth to fire at the target placed 100m away down the field, and he concentrated at hitting it. They were all getting better at it. The first time round, one of the instructors, a surprisingly quiet man called Goulding, had looked like he would cry when only two out of the twenty had even come close to hitting the big round targets. The other Weapons Sergeant didn't look like he'd even cried in his life, and tended to shriek concentration into his students. It had mixed effects. For the more rebellious, it tended to focus them in their anger. For others, they found their hands shaking badly enough that they were luck to hit any target- let alone their own!

Mikey focussed and all sound and distractions around him dropped away. He aimed and fired three shots in quick succession. Once those firing at the same time were finished, they handed their firearm to the people behind them and were given the all-clear to go collect their scores. Mikey walked down the field confidently- he knew he had done well that time.

As he reached the half-way point, he caught a flash out of the corner of his eye and his instinct reacted to danger immediately.

"Get down!" he shouted, suiting action to words and pulling down the man walking next to him. He felt something wing his shell and he stayed down. He heard the report at the same time as he felt that pressure. The man whom he'd knocked had started to exclaim angrily before falling silent ad he realised the danger. Some had frozen on the spot when they heard the shot, other had dropped to the ground automatically to present less of a target.

"WHO THE HELL FIRED THAT?" screamed the Sergeant furiously as he recovered and strode out to Mikey and the other man- Roberts, Mikey recognised absently as he got over his own fright.

"EVERYONE TO ATTENTION!" People jumped up and in some cases fell over again as they struggled to obey.

"Not you two." He added as they tried to get up. "Roberts, were you hit? No- go on then." He turned to Mikey. "Hamato- stay as you are- the medics will check you out. It doesn't look bad." Even as he spoke, two meds were pushing through to make sure he wasn't injured. Mikey sat up and tried to look over his shoulder to examine the damage himself.

"It's scored, but it's not deep. It didn't penetrate your shell." one of the medics informed him- a Corporal Rodgers.

"Aw man…another mark…" he muttered. "Uh thank-you Sir." He added belatedly as he stood. _Don't know why I bother polishing it- at this point I don't think it will even take a polish!_ he thought as he walked back to the lines where his team crowded around him. They were scowled back into line by Sarge who lined them the four malefactors up and shouted at them but he left it at shouting only- they'd been worried about their teammate and loyalty was not a trait he was there to stomp out.

"Who fired that?" asked Sarge calmly, expecting whoever it was to own up.

"Uh…Sir…?" Mikey remembered what he had seen. "Just before…I saw a flash from the treeline. That's why I ducked."

"Then why the hell didn't you…?" he shook his head angrily. "Everyone- back to the barracks. Hamato- report everything to Master-Sergeant Fields. Captain, Corporal, you're with me."

As they moved off quickly, Mikey saw the three men move like ninja towards the treeline, keeping low.

* * *

"So that's two definite attacks- the mine and today." 

"I don't know, Steel, can we call the mine an attack on us?" replied Siren, stabbing her food with her fork as if it had been personally responsible.

"Not sure either. Unless whoever was in front of us dropped the mine behind them…?"

"Somebody sneaked live ordinance into a training exercise and then were _crawling around with it_?" asked Mikey sceptically. Steel swallowed before answering.

"Well, whoever shot at you certainly meant business. If you hadn't ducked…" He shrugged and Mikey shivered slightly. His previous estimation of guns was coming back full-force.

"Well, he did." put in Siren forcefully as a silence fell across the table. People were giving them a rather wide berth in the Mess. They were obviously dangerous to know. Malone and Henry joined them after a couple of minutes.

"Well, someone's got it in for you lot." said Malone uneasily. "Any ideas who it might be?"

"In here? Pick a direction." snorted Glacier. Mikey chuckled.

"What have you got to laugh about?" she demanded. "You were nearly one of the 'punctured in action'." He shrugged.

"What else is there to do?" he asked her. The deadlock was broken by Roberts coming up to them uneasily.

"Uh…hi." he said uncomfortably to the now-silent group. He had good reason to be unsure of his reception. He had been one of the purists from the start, even if not as extreme as some others. He swallowed as he took in the chilly atmosphere and turned to Mikey who at least didn't look like he would give him frostbite.

"Wanted to say thanks for pullin' me down." he said simply. "If you hadn't, from where it came from- it would've gone right through me. So…uh…thanks." He paused then went on. " And…uh…I'm sorry…if I helped make things harder for you all at the beginning- I guess I was wrong. So…eh…can we shake on it?" He held out his hand which Mikey took. He noticed absently that the whole room had gone silent with people either openly watching them with huge interest or pretending not to, but with ears pricked back so as not to miss a thing.

They shook on it and with that, a silent peace was finally declared between the purists and the non-purists.

* * *

They heard no more about the attack. Mikey hadn't bothered risk life and limb approaching Sarge about it. One look at the man's face had made him want to keep himself well out of radar. Electrode had been called away during hand-to-hand- in which he wasn't allowed participate for today anyway- to be briefed by Fields on the Special Ops request. Mikey was relieved- the sooner they all knew, the sooner they could discuss it and come to a decision. 

He was paired with a large man whose powerful arms suggested he'd be a dangerous opponent. He found the unarmed combat classes exhilarating, as he was not allowing himself to use any of his ninja training. So far it had remained his own hidden ability- and with all the suspicious attacks going on he was keeping it under his shell. He fought like all the other recruits and like them, won some and lost some. But he was ever-improving at this type of combat and was regarded as a good opponent.

The man he was matched with put out a leg, both for balance and to try trip the turtle. Mikey evaded it and danced a half-step to the left, with a pulled punch giving him time to manouver. He was pulling all his punches, which made his matches harder, but at least he wasn't running the risk of harming another recruit. Kelly saw a weakness and stepped in to take advantage, catching Mikey's arm and twisting it into a half-nelson. Mikey had been caught by this particular trick before and was determined not to be so again. This time, he hooked his own leg around Kelly's, catching him behind the knee and pulling while at the same time, twisting out of the other man's grip. From his previously strong position, Kelly was now flat on the floor looking surprised.

"Ok- yield." he sighed, slapping the floor. Mikey helped him up and they both paused for a brief respite. Mikey had to force himself not to bow automatically, as he'd been taught.

They began again. This time Kelly was a lot more cautious, and they circled each other, each searching for a weakness that could be exploited. Neither combatant noticed the Sarge attracting that attention of the other recruits or the circle forming around them. Kelly struck first and Mikey had to duck a fast blow, catching his opponent around the waist. Kelly was expecting this however and reacted with a knee. There would be no point using fisticuffs against an enemy with a knife, or one who had sent his whole life learning dirty fighting on the streets. The point was to end the fight as quickly as possible, ideally without too many injuries on either side. Mikey's chin connected solidly with the knee and he rolled out of the fray with his head ringing. He recovered quickly, although he noticed Kelly hadn't pushed his advantage. He was an honourable fighter. Mikey acknowledged the courtesy with a nod and they started circling again. Kelly again struck first, aiming where the vulnerable stomach would be on a human. As was, he connected solidly with Mikey's plastron. Even so, it had been a powerful blow and winded the young turtle slightly. He followed up with a move he had learned watching the ninja, a leg behind his Mikey's knee, so he fell over backwards, the latter twisting to roll as he landed. But Kelly was in the way, with a boot against the turtles stomach, blocking the manouvre. The Sarge was about to call time but Mikey still had another trick up his sleeve. A Judo move, one leg hooking between his enemies, twisted up to catch him behind the thigh, pushing him forward as he tripped over the prone body of his not-quite-defeated adversary. The big man went over, leaving Mikey behind him. From there it was easy to immobilise him. The big man sighed and hit the floor again, signifying defeat. Mikey rolled away and offered him his hand to help him up which the other man took.

"Good match." Kelly congratulated him.

"Yeah- I thought you had me a few times there." grinned the turtle good-naturedly.

"Very good match." said the Sergeant. "Right you lot. Back to where you were and see if you can match that." He clapped his hands and the recruits scarpered.

"What was that move you used?" asked Kelly with interest. Mikey explained it and showed him how it worked. Kelly was a fast learner and picked it up quickly. Mikey wasn't surprised- he-d seen how fast Kelly perfected a move that he'd only seen once during battle- the one he'd turned on Mikey. He noticed later, with a certain amount of teacherly pride- Kelly performing the move flawlessly against another opponent. Afterwards the Sarge asked him to show the move to all of them and Mikey obliged with Kelly as his 'victim'. Mikey had certainly gone up a few notches in the estimation if his fellow recruits if the approving mutters were anything to go by!

* * *

In the Mess later, they were finally able to speak in low voices about the offer and it's consequences. The other recruits were surprised when Mikey came down strongly against, with Siren more tentatively so. 

"You two are the ones with most to gain from this offer." said Glacier her eues narrowed in confusion. "Why are you against it?" Mikey explained his reasons and she nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I see what you mean. It is a bit odd…" Her lips twisted as she admitted. "I don't know whether I'd've thought it through that much had I been in your places."

"I think that's what they were aiming at." replied Siren grimly. "I don't like this offer at all, and I like the third-rate psychology even less. I think we should leave Black Ops well alone until we've more experience at…at all of this." She flicked her hand to include her surroundings. "We're still way too easily lead for this- we're complete rookies."

"And I think we might find ourselves in over our heads too fast if we go with it." added Mikey before looking around at the others. "Well, that's or opinions heard. What do you all think?"

Glacier drew in breath slowly as she tried to get her thoughts together. "Just assuming for the moment that this is actually all on the level- no great conspiracies or anything…" She held up her hand as Siren opened her mouth. "Hear me out on this…it is a great opportunity- and not one I think we'll get again. After all, how many other raw recruits are targeted by Special Ops before even leaving training camp?"

"None. And that is the stat that's worrying me." said Electrode thoughtfully before shaking his head slowly. "I have to say, while I see your point Glacier, I'm inclined to go with Siren and Mikey here- there's too much about this that just doesn't hold up."

"Well, I think we're being too timid here," said Glacier obstinately. "This is some chance, and we need to take it now. If we feel we have to, well, we'll get out."

Siren shook her head impatiently. She felt the other woman was being far too naïve. This was the Armed Forces, and Special Ops at that, not a sandpit.

"So three against and one for?" asked Mikey looking around at the others. Siren nodded, followed by Electrode after a short pause. Glacier folded her arms and leaned back with a scowl.

"Steel?" Mikey turned to the one who so far hadn't said anything. He shrugged.

"I'll go with the majority vote on this one. But I'm not really strongly for or against. Yeah, there might be something fishy here. On the other hand it may be exactly what it appears to be. On the.. uh, first hand- I think we have a point in that we're way too inexperienced to deal with this for the moment. We need to get through Basic and get some proper time under our belts before we get involved with something like this."

Mikey nodded and glanced at the others. Glacier was redfaced and angry. The others looked at her in surprise as she burst out in a low, vicious voice.

"Oh, yes, you would, wouldn't you. Go with the easy side. You're being cowards, all of you! This is a once-in-a-lifetime offer and you're throwing it away because you're too timid…" she spat the word, "…too timid to take a chance! I…Ahh!" she spun on her heel and stormed off, fuming. Siren jumped to her feet, nettled, but Mikey grabbed her wrist. He was angry at the jibe to his honour too, but if he let Siren go after her in her present state, they might lose the blonde woman altogether.

"No Siren, leave her. She's so mad that nothing you say will get through. Leave her be." Siren sank back into her chair, still obviously infuriated, but controlled it. Electrode was staring at Glaciers wake.

"Whoa, that was weird. She's always so…calm and controlled. Never woulda expected it of her. And yet…" he chewed his lip, looking troubled. "…do you think she might have a point?" That we're just being too timid about the whole thing?"

"Maybe so, but I prefer to think of it a natural caution. If it's real, it will still be open in a year or too. If not…? I'm still against."

* * *

Mikey was meditating, trying to calm his troubled thoughts. He wished he could speak to his family. He opened his eyes and considered. Okay, so he couldn't directly… but it couldn't hurt. He took out his sketch pad, his only current source of paper and began to write. 

He sat up again and reread it. After seeing it on paper, he was suddenly more certain then ever that they were right. Now to find Glacier. He hoped she was calmer then before.

He found her in the gym. Her hair was dishevelled and her face -what he could see of it anyway- was still red, but with exertion rather then anger. He hoped! She was beating the hell out of a punching bag, but that was the only outward manifestation of potential violence. She had her back to him and he took a deep breath and moved forward.

"I know." She spoke before he had even fully formulated his first sentence. Nonplussed he managed an "um…what?" She turned and faced him directly, not avoiding his eyes.

"I know what I said was wrong…and stupid. I don't know why I did, to tell you the truth. I made a fool of myself, blowing up like that. I guess the tension just got to me…"

Mikey nodded, he'd felt it too, and it shortened everyone's tempers.

"Thanks for restraining Siren back there." she added with a weak smile, sitting down on one of the benches. "She would have beaten me up but good had she come after me." She pulled down her hair and started gathering it up to be moulded into its customary neat plait. She ran her hand through it, a jerky movement that caused it to fall into her face, where she sat, head bowed. "Not that I wouldn't have deserved it…" he though he heard her mutter. He went over to her, his own kind nature not liking to see another in pain.

"Hey, you're perfectly entitled to your own opinion dudette. And I don't know, maybe you have a point. It's just that this time…" he wasn't sure how to finish off the sentence without getting attacked again.

"You're right." finished Glacier grimly. She put up a hand to forestall any questions. "No, I've been thinking about all this too. You're right, it's not innocent, whatever the ultimate idea behind it all is. I think it's unanimous then- Team X are staying in Basic."

"Team X?" asked Mikey with a grin. She shrugged. "It's as good a name as any!" He laughed. "Yeah, I like it!"

She sobered up again.

"I don't know how I'm going to apologise to the others. I called you all wusses! And Siren's pretty pissed."

"Forget about Siren for the moment." said Mikey while privately acknowledging that she had a point. "Are you absolutely sure? It's no bad thing to had a bit of healthy debate!" he added, chuckling a bit. She nodded.

"Sure and certain. But what about the others?"

"Do you want a hand? Siren will be okay- she gets mad but she doesn't hold a grudge. And for the others- Electrode didn't seem as much mad as confused. And Steel…" He shrugged. "Who can tell." She sighed, but twisted her hair back up quickly and stood up.

"No- it's my mess. But if I'm not back in two hours, send out a search-party. And look for the murder-weapon under Siren's bunk." She walked out, head up and shoulders back. She looked like she was going before a firing-squad. Mikey grimaced and waited for the screams.

* * *

It was three hours later. Glacier was still alive and looking happier. Siren hadn't held her outburst against her, knowing more then most the trouble an unguarded tongue and a temper could lead to in the way of things not meant slipping out. Steel had taken it all in his stride and told her not to worry about it. Electrode looked even more bemused then normal when she'd apologised to him and told her just to give him warning the next time so he could have the video-cam nearby for everyone's dumbstruck expressions. Siren's had been particularly priceless! 

So she and all her team were standing outside Fields' office waiting nervously top be called in. Mikey was spokesperson again. It was his first, last, and only official duty as team-leader and he was determined to do it well.

"Come in"

They looked at one another with expressions ranging from nervous to fatalistic and entered, Electrode glancing up at the blue sky with the expression of one seeing something for the last time.

"Well, your decision on the offer?" asked Fields without preamble. He neither looked up nor stopped writing but Mikey noticed the small neat handwriting getting heavier and darker as he wrote.

"Yes Sir." Mikey paused but didn't look around again. "We thank them for their offer, but respectfully ref…decline, Sir" He substituted the less-offensive sounding word at the last second. Fields didn't pause but his pencil tip broke suddenly and pinged across the room. He stopped.

"Very well. You can go."

They trooped out, Mikey last.

"Hamato." It was an order. Mikey winced but turned back. The others paused but Fields waved them out impatiently. Siren gave him a sympathetic look as they went outside, the door swinging behind then.

"Was it unanimous?"

"Yes Sir."

"I'm interested. You threw this away, despite it being your chance at promotion. Yourself and Rhodes."

"Yessir." The office seemed too small and airless.

"Why?" Mikey gaped slightly. How could he explain to a superior officer that they didn't trust this seemingly perfect opportunity?

"We…It…" he drew in a breath. "Permission to speak freely Sir?"

"Granted. Go on." Fields was writing again and Mikey tried to find the words.

"We're not ready Sir. It's too soon. We're too… green. And…" Ah. This was where he couldn't go on.

"You didn't trust it." The other man put it into words perfectly and Mikey sighed quietly in relief.

"Not entirely Sir, no."

"Good." Now he looked at the turtle properly. "I'm glad about that. I thought it was too soon and I did everything in my power to prevent it. You've got the makings of a good team there, and I don't want to see that spoiled by misuse. And you and Rhodes both showed you were willing to put the good of the team ahead of personal gain. Good. Dismissed."

Mikey knew without needing to be told that this moment of candour was not to go outside the office. He saluted mechanically and walked out on legs that only shook when he was out of sight of the Sergeant's lair. He sat down on a rock for a second and the others joined him. They sat in silence for a second before Steel stood.

"Well, that's it. Come on, let's hit the showers. We're on leave for two days anyway?" The others nodded assent- they were all in the first group to be granted the two precious days freedom. Mikey was surprised- he had let the days slip by. Yup- Friday night- he was free! He had his train ticket and his duffel packed and everything- had done for the past day or two.

He was going home tomorrow!

* * *

"Hiya Leo! You're back early! Where's Sensei?" greeted Donnie happily, looking around his brother to find the elderly rat. 

"I am here, Donatello." replied Splinter from behind the younger turtle. He grinned mischievously at Leo from over the the confused Don's shoulder.

"How was your flight, Sensei?" asked Donnie, bowing politely before hugging his father and brother, delighted that they were home.

Raph was next in -Mikey wouldn't be back until sometime the next day- and he too was delighted and relieved to see most of his family back together again. Her hadn't seen Master Splinter in almost seven weeks and had missed both him and his brothers more then he'd let on. He felt uncharacteristically nervous however, a nagging feeling that something was wrong- even if he couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. He just wished that his younger brother was back too. He hated being separated from his family. Something was wrong, he was sure.

They didn't speak of the various things that were bothering them that first evening, preferring to wait until they were all together for the family council. Instead they relaxed and chatted together and simply enjoyed each other's company. There was something missing though and Raph couldn't quite shake off his premonition of…something.

"You okay, Raph?" asked Leo at one point, looking at him closely.

"Yes, I'm fine!" snapped his brother waspishly and Donnie and Master Splinter exchanged looks. That hadn't taken long! But to their surprise Raph sighed and held up a hand.

"Sorry, Leo. I didn't mean to jump at ya. Just…dunno…a bit jumpy I guess. Wish Mikey was back. Doesn't seem right with one missing…"

Leo settled back.

"Yeah, I know. But he'll be home tomorrow."

"Yeah, and you'll be infuriated with him in no time at all." put in Donnie dryly.

* * *

_Originally had a different ending but that's gonna be the next chapter. **Please **review. I live on them! The plot is thickening, and I promise there will be some proper action fairly soon- I know I'm being a bit long-winded at the moment but it's necessary!_

_Aries_


	8. 8: Last Port Of Call

Chapter Eight

**Last Port Of Call**

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers- wow- 38 reviews! And an especial thank-you to Doll Girl for her help with all things military.

You rock, dudes!

* * *

_He ran his hand over the polished wood slowly, his claws making a slight clicking sound as he did so. He was pulling up all the reserves of his own training and natural discipline not to shake or cry, both of which his rebellious body were trying to do. No…it couldn't be. Not now, not like this…_

"Hey, Mikey! You finished with the packin' yet? Bunch of us going out tonight with the people who have ta catch buses and stuff. Walk down to the town and get the last coach back. You in?"

Mikey looked up from his packing of his last few odds and ends to see Electrode leaning in the door, suspended by his fingertips from the sides of the frame. It looked very dangerous, especially if…yup. Keith Morrows, a burly man who had a habit of rushing around, barrelled into the smaller man: talking animatedly to someone else, he didn't notice Electrode until he was sprawled across the mutant on the floor, looking surprised.

"…arghh…" came the muffled sound from somewhere beneath Mt Morrows, who, while not fat, was a hefty weight to suddenly land on your midsection. Morrows scrambled up, afraid he'd actually damaged Electrode who was lying on the ground, completely winded and whooping air back into his lungs. Mikey and the man Morrows had been talking to couldn't do anything useful, laughing at the sight. Poor Morrows blushed as he helped Electrode to his feet and retreated with a worried scowl that morphed into a laugh when he realised there was no harm done.

"All very well for you to laugh…" muttered Electrode, mock- scowling at Mikey who waved off the growl with a snigger.

"What was I supposed at do? he asked when he'd recovered. "You looked like a squashed jellyfish. A very surprised squashed jellyfish." he added after a moment's thought.

"Unhelpful chelonian."

"Spark-boy"

"Overgrown tortoise."

"…Hey!"

The other two watched with a certain amount of bemusement as they wandered off down the hall towards the entrance- and freedom- with the epitaphs getting ruder as they went.

By seven o' clock they were relishing in being able to eat real food and see ordinary people again. People in normal clothes anyway. Electrode and Steel were both still wearing military gear as they would be going back to the Base later- neither were leaving until the Saturday morning, like Mikey. They were with a group of men, including Malone, Kelly and a few others that Mikey was friendly with as well as some others that he only slightly knew. He realised with a certain amount of shock that the others didn't even seem to notice that he and the other two were different any more- or perhaps it was that they felt they had more in common with each other then with the people in civvies all around them, who had not gone through the last four weeks in Basic. They saw Glacier and Siren briefly, but they were with their own group, which went off to do… girly-stuff… he figured, while they just mooched around, went into a couple of pubs and chatted amiably enough for a few hours.

In ones and twos people were peeling off as their various trains or buses came in until finally it was just the three mutants, Kelly, and two others- Robertson and Lofthouse, who said regretfully that it was their turn.

"Good meetin' you." said Robertson awkwardly, shaking hands with Steel, but addressing all three.

"Yeah- and good on you all for sticking those first weeks." added Lofthouse. "I tell you, it was hard enough, without havin' to deal with that stuff, so…good for you. Guess you're not so different from the rest of us…" he mused.

"Okay, Lofty- come on. You've got a train to catch." said an amused Robertson while mouthing "Lightweight" to the others. He shook his head.

"Well, guess we'll be seeing you back in Hell in a couple of days. Make the most of this bit of freedom while you have it!" he added rolling his eyes at Lofthouse who, while not drunk, was certainly on the tipsy side, despite having consumed only about a pint.

"Yeah- this is my port of call too, guys. I'm off to the bus stop. Look after yourselves!"

"And you, see you then." replied Mikey.

"And I'll be looking for a rematch!" called Kelly back as he set off at a jog towards the bus-stop.

"Ah, it's the thought that counts." grinned Electrode, not giving much for the other man's chances against his friend, and the others smiled. They started to walk again back towards the centre of town.

"Wanna get something at eat?" asked Steel as they started passing the small restaurants, from whence mouth-watering aromas were issuing. Mikey's stomach rumbled in agreement and Electrode laughed.

"Guess that's your vote then. Okay, I don't mind. How about Geoff's- Kelly recommended it earlier." Steel glanced at Mikey who shrugged.

"Fine by me. Wonder if they do pizza…?"

"Hey-look what the cat dragged in!" came from a table near the back as they entered. Siren was grinning at them, breaking off the conversation between herself and Glacier and another group of women nearby abruptly. Electrode raised an eyebrow suspiciously at the innocent looks that seemed to be spreading outwards as the women noticed them.

"Oh, don't let us interrupt you…" said Mikey, waving a hand towards them with an evil look on his face. "Please- go right ahead."

"Perfect gentleman, isn't he…" murmured one of the women demurely while Siren just laughed.

"Not a chance! Come on over, - we figured you might wander in here."

"Hey Siren- we're off anyway-across the street to the pub. You should come over when you're finished." said one of the women as they started preparing to leave. "And I recommend the chilli dish by the way!" she called back.

"Thanks Janet- yeah, we probably will."

_It was always a chance. What they did was dangerous. And if only they talked about it sooner. Even if they'd had the family conference last night, perhaps? Instead of waiting until Saturday, when everyone would be home. Maybe…maybe then…everyone would be able to come home. He couldn't do this. But he had to…_

They were the only people in the small restaurant now. They'd left it later then most of the other recruits on temporary freedom had. But they ordered anyway and talked quietly amongst themselves, laughing and joking with each other like a team. Like a family…realised Mikey, leaning back and just observing what was going on. The realisation surprised him, as did the fact that this was the first night since he'd come to this place that he didn't miss his real family so much. He could hardly imagine not having met these people, just as how, five weeks ago, he couldn't have imagined being without his brothers and father. In the soft light, he watched Siren and Glacier giggling about something- actually, now he came to replay the last few seconds of conversation in his head, he realised that the joke was probably on him. And Steel and Electrode. They were a real team now, for all their shaky beginnings. And for all the trouble at the start, they had finally been accepted here and made friends outside their own group. And though everywhere they went, they would have to do it all over again, and although many of the upper brass (most of whom had never met them) disliked them on principle as a divisive force and generally trouble, he knew they would be able to face it as a team. As a family. And finally, though he would always be a part of the band of four brothers- Mutant Ninja Turtles- he could also stand alone, just like any of the others. He'd proved to himself that he wasn't a weak link in the group.

But even so, he was looking forward to seeing his family again!

"Miiiikeey…. Earth to Miiikeeyy! Is they any life on Saturn?" Glacier was waving her hand up and down in front of his face and he flicked out of his thoughts and back into the real world where everyone was looking at him with a strange expression.

"You've been rocking back and forth on that chair for…almost six minutes now. Electrode started timing you. So what great new ideas have you brought back from your little trip around the outer planets?"

"Sorry. Just thinking that I'm kinda glad I came here after all."

"Yeah- despite everything…well- I guess it could have been worse."

"No! We are not going to get all…deep-thinky and everything, are we? Please! Let's just have our dinner and go to the pub! Please- no meaning-of-life stuff!"

"Yeesh, Electrode, chill out, dude! Okay, no Meaning-of-Life stuff!" grinned Mikey, laughing at the blond man's shudder of dismay at the idea of 'deep-thinky' discussion interrupting his meal.

_He had sent the others away. It would be hard enough for one person to do this- torture to force ones who weren't necessary to do so. And one still didn't know. What was he going to have to come back to? His hand brushed by the lid. It was his duty. He had to do this- as he'd always feared he might one day. _

They could hear the noises of what sounded like a loud and cheerful party going on across the street. It had reached the singing stage- or at least, it could be called singing if you had a very broad definition of the word. And a pair of earmuffs.

"Sounds like they're having fun. We going over?" asked Steel, looking around at the others as they sat back. It had been a good meal- and the much-praised chilli speciality of the house had won at least another two converts.

This seemed to reach a generally approving consensus so they got the bill and sorted it and prepared to leave.

"Hang on, I'll be back in a mo, dudes." said Mikey, standing up.

_As he paused, a green hand touched his shoulder and another gingerly clasped his other shoulder. He didn't turn around but was secretly glad of the support. He knew they couldn't not be here, though he'd hoped to spare them the pain._

_He saw the others as in a picture- Siren hunting for something in her bag, Steel standing up, leaning on the back of his chair as he stared unseeingly at the window, lost in thought. Electrode chatting animatedly to Glacier, both of them leaning on the table as they talked. He turned away smiling when Steel shouted something._

He started to spin around when something hit the back of his neck, just above the shell, and threw him forward. He heard glass shattering and distant shouts and screams and felt other explosions of distant pain in his back and leg but had trouble working up any particular worry about it.

His team! He heard clanging, crashing sounds. Metal against metal. He couldn't move his head to see what was happening but his mouth curved into a grim smile as he realised that Steel at least was putting up some kind of a defence. A crumpled thud as something hit the floor.

_"Thank-you, my sons. Have either of you been able to contact your brother?"_

_"Yes, Sensei. He's coming. But…but he doesn't know- I couldn't tell him…not…unless we were sure…But…It is, isn't it…" The green hand shook as the owner turned away slightly. His Sensei lowered his head for a moment and lifted the lid._

NO! He couldn't close his eyes or turn away as she fell, almost in slow motion, with her wings half unfurled. She hit the floor, and he mouthed her name, trying to get a response. But he knew he wouldn't. A cry from up above- far, far away and the clanging noise briefly stopped. A thud and an almost surprised noise, a little gasping release of air and he closed his eyes, realising that it was too late.

Now there were sirens in the distance and shouts and more gunshots outside. The impromptu party across the road had apparently broken up and from the sounds of it there was war going on outside. Sirens…

_A red piece of material. Once it was never still, always moving, following its owner, flying in the breeze. Like it's owner…_

_But it shouldn't have been red._

_"_Oh, God… help, someone! They need help!" Someone was shouting above him. He thought he recognised one of the voices. Electrode? No… no… Electrode was over there. Not moving. Kelly? Henry? They sounded the same. Another voice moved closer. There were tears audible in this one.

"The bastards… oh, God… where's that bloody ambulance!" Malone. He felt a shadow over him but couldn't see who it was. All he could see was a last tawny feather twirling back down to earth as his vision narrowed alarmingly. It fell…forever-

_He heard a choked sob from behind him and abruptly one of the hands moved away as it's owner backed away._

_"Donnie! Donnie…it's…" but his brother couldn't finish the sentence as his voice shook and collapsed as well. The two of them stood together, weeping silently for a few minutes while the older ninja traced his son's features. How could it end like this? Parents shouldn't have to bury their children. _

_He looked peaceful. Strange- his end had been anything but. He looked like he'd wake up in a second and demand to know what the fuss was about. Like he'd laugh about something, as he always was._

_How could they laugh again?_

* * *

_Short, but unexpected. Rather like me. Okay, that would work better if I was short._

_Anyway, hope I didn't traumatise anyone too much. _

_There's more chapters on their way so please don't be put off just yet…**What I said waaay back at the start of Ch 1 still holds.** Bwahaha_

_You know the score- even if you hate me- please review!_

_I am now going to go and hide from LN who's almost certain to bring out the dragons. _


	9. 9: Revelations

_**Chapter Nine**_

**Revelations**

_This chapter took a while to put up as I have been in hiding from Entropy's creative use of Sulfuric acid and LN's dragons who have been terrorising the neighbourhood for the past while. Call 'em off, wouldya please LN?_

_Uh oh _

_(roars and flames in the distance) _

**NOOO- they're back, I'm sorry, okay? Aaargh!**

**Becca T,- hehe I love doing that to people. Thatnks for the response!**

**Entropy & Lunar-Ninja- Ouch.**

**Jessiy Landroz- Nope, wasn't no preview. I'm sorry tiny little voice> heehee.**

**Digimon Girl- Thank you!**

**Pacphys- Wow, really collecting threats here, aren't I? Thanks!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Nine**

**Revelations _or _**

**Friday Night In the Lair**

_Aries Zodiac (slightly singed)

* * *

_

_Takes place at the Lair on the Friday night and Saturday morning before and through the murders.

* * *

_

It was late Friday night in the Lair. It had been a good evening, even if there had been someone missing. They had talked and even played a board game which Donnie had won. Raph had been totally distracted and lost resoundingly with even Leo -who was not good at these sort of games- beating him easily.

"I'm going out again- I have to go meet some people- mutants- they said they had to talk to me…" Raph trailed off and pulled at his mask-tails awkwardly. "Anyway- I probably won't be back till sometime tomorrow, but I'll be back before tomorrow evening, anyway." He felt slightly awkward, feeling he ought to explain where he was going, but now used to coming and going on his own timetable- not answerable to anyone else.

Leo frowned at the table but didn't say anything. Come on Raph- first night, could he not stay in?

"They said it was important, Sensei- otherwise I would stay." he added, the sense of foreboding he had been feeling all evening heightening. He needed to get out of here- quickly.

"Be careful, my Son." replied Master Splinter. He wasn't altogether happy with Raphael going out there- not with tensions on the street as they were, but he knew Raph was involved, and had been taking care of himself until now.

"Yeah- good luck, Raph. Ya sure you don't want company- back-up?" asked Leo- halfway serious and jesting. Raph glanced at him.

"Nah…you'll scare the kids!" With that he'd ducked out of the Lair, leaving Donnie sniggering at the half-insulted, half-amused look on Leo's face.

"Charming…" he muttered, before surprising himself with a yawn.

"Oh…sorry…Guess I'm more tired then I thought." he excused himself. His old familiar bed suddenly seemed like a very tempting idea right now!

Donnie and Splinter talked a while longer before both followed Leonardo's example.

* * *

It was late that night when an urgent beeping sound filled the air, catching Leo by surprise. He woke up with his katana in his hands, looking for the threat before slumping back on the pillow, realising what it was. He climbed out of bed, grumbling as his heart-rate slowed down to normal again. Funny, he wasn't usually this jumpy. Maybe Raph was contagious.

Don leaned out his door, rubbing his eyes.

"It's there -Leo- answer the dratted object wouldya?" he yawned.

Leo hit the button and suddenly April's face was on the screen. He woke up entirely. She was upset, that much was obvious. He realised with shock that tough, tomboyish April O'Neill was crying!

"April! What's wrong?" Don came up behind him, now worried also as Splinter, with his sixth sense for trouble, entered.

"What's up with your phone? I…I tried to ring…so did they!"

"You know our phone April…it breaks down a lot… What's going on. Who were _they_? The police? Was it Raph? Had he gotten himself into trouble? No…the only people who had April's number to get in contact to them was…

"Turn on the T.V…Oh God…It's the training camp. There was an accident…they wouldn't tell me exact details but…

_"…it has just been confirmed that there were shots fired at this restaurant…and casualties have also been confirmed. The men responsible were overpowered by recruits from the Army Training Base who were on a night out. The shots are believed to have been aimed at members of this Base, where the highly controversial 'mutant team' are training. We cannot confirm if they were the victims of this attack…"_

"It is, Leo! It was aimed at them. Leo…It was Mikey's team…and…he said they're all…"

Leo barely heard the last word- his head was ringing and he felt numb.

"…dead?" he whispered.

Don sprang forward as Leo dropped the phone, his older brother trying to grab the phone as it slipped from numb fingers.

"April? April! What…? What happened? What did you say?" he cried, desperate for her to tell him that he'd misheard. But he knew that he hadn't.

"Donnie…they rang me…about ten minutes ago…they couldn't get through to the phone… they said…oh, God, they said that they want the next-of-kin for all the recruits…his entire team were…they're all dead!" Don found his hand shaking now and the picture on the screen shook- no it was the comm shaking and he forced himself to put it down ion the table as he tried to absorb the news. He looked at Splinter who turned abruptly towards his room. But before Donnie could do anything, his master was back with them.

"My sons. We must go. I must…" he trailed off this time. Leo was staring at the screen, his face still pale and sickly looking. Illuminated by the flickering light, he looked ghostly. The sound was muted. He made no move to turn it up. He didn't want to hear. The first noise he made was halfway between a gasp and a choked hiss as the screen showed a building- a small restaurant with armed police around it. And medics…carrying covered stretchers. Covered stretchers One, two, th…four. Five. Five dead. Mikey's team. Five. With a sudden shout of fury he swung his fist and left a dent in the wall. Donnie grabbed his arm before he could swing again and spoke urgently to him.

"Leo…stop it! It…won't help… and you won't help Master Splinter…If…if it is them…we need to get to the Base quickly. There's no time… And…and we need you. Please Leo…" His voice was shaking, cracking and it was this more then anything that cleared the red mist from the blue turtles eyes. He unclenched his fist and looked, almost surprised at the bruised knuckles and let his hand drop. Suddenly he was Leo again…almost. His eyes now held no emotion- they were hard and angry and his face might have been carved out of stone.

"Leo?" asked Don, stepping back, scared now.

"We need to contact Raph." said Leo coldly. "He needs to get here. Don, will you get the van warmed up- I'll pack." Donnie backed away, totally unnerved by the strangeness of his older brother and moved down the corridor, barely seeing where he was walking. No…this couldn't be true…

* * *

Leo moved mechanically. He had to pack…not much, but they would need a few things. Master Splinter was still sitting there. Leo was scared by how his Sensei was reacting. He seemed…well, stunned- they all were. And confused. He wasn't used to seeing his father, his leader like this and suddenly realised that for now, he would have to take the lead and look after his father and…two…brothers. Two…the tears nearly came as he realised that he would never be part of the family of four brothers again. They were three now. But he forced the tears -and emotions- down, deep inside himself and locked them into a box in the corner of his soul. There wasn't time now. He had to be the strong one. But…it was hard…

* * *

Donnie shouted with frustration as he tried to contact Raph on his shell-cell only to get no answer.

"Raph will You PICK UP **THE DAMN _PHONE_**!" he screeched at it as that annoyingly tinny noise came over the comm. He slammed it down, flinging it into the back of the truck. Then the van wouldn't start. He tried again and the engine stalled. Suddenly he found himself crying. Oh, no…please…this couldn't be true. How could the youngest- he wasn't even an adult yet- how could he be…

"He was coming home tomorrow…" he whispered, head leaning on his arm where he gripped the steering wheel. "Why? WHY? HE'S ONLY A KID! DO YOU NOT CARE!" he shouted again, not sure whether he was shouting at the van, the army, his brother who wouldn't react or the one who couldn't. Or maybe whoever it was, up there who was supposed to control such things.

He punched the steering wheel and, against all expectation or logic, the engine started. He shook his head as Leo came out, helping Master Splinter who was walking slowly, his limp more pronounced then usual.

"Raph?" asked Leo tersely and Donnie shook his head mutely, not trusting his voice. Leo paused and climbed out again.

"I'll leave him a note...to say to ring us. We…we can't wait. He'll come." Leo hurried off and Donnie glanced after the retreating shell in confusion. How could he say this in a note?

Leo fiddled about for paper, shuffling newspapers and…stuff…aside for a piece of paper. Pen…pen, where the hell did they keep pens? He found it and scribbled with it, trying to get some ink out of it. Finally he wrote;

_Raph_

_Contact us as soon as you get this. There's been an accident at the training- camp. We have to go. It's serious. I'm sorry we can't wait- we tried to ring you. Please ring when you see this._

_Leo._

The pen quivered over the paper as he tried to write the words. The final words that would have told his brother the truth that they were all trying to cope with. But he couldn't…he couldn't! Not until…who was he fooling- they knew. They could hardly have been mistaken. But…

In the car, Donnie moved impatiently as he tried not to think. He didn't want to think. He glanced at Master Splinter in the passenger seat. He was sitting entirely motionless leaning on his cane heavily. His eyes were open but not particularly focussed on anything. This flat calm was as unnatural as Leo's.

"Master Splinter?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. Splinter turned to look at him and Don saw that he was wrong- he could see the pain in his Master's eyes. One of his sons was dead, and he'd never gotten to talk to him. Hadn't…

"S…sensei?" he felt like a child again, wanting his father to tell him it was alright. But it wasn't. It couldn't be…ever.

"My Son…" Splinter spoke quietly and Donnie's carefully constructed façade of calm broke. With a low howl, totally unbefitting an eighteen year old ninja, but completely suited to someone that had just lost their younger brother, he almost flung himself at his father who held him but couldn't say anything as they both let the tears fall.

Leo returned and they drove out onto the silent roads. They would have to drive all night.

* * *

Very early on Saturday morning, Raph hunted furiously for his shell-cell, then stopped as he remembered. Dammit- why the hell did his contacts have to be so damn paranoid! His group had told him it was imperative that he meet with this woman, but alone and without anything that could be construed as recording equipment or a transmitting device. If it wasn't for the fact that people he trusted had vouched for her he would have called it off as a trap- and a poorly laid one at that. But when he heard the story of the small female mutant, who spoke quietly and clearly, he had been filled with horror but knew that what she was saying was true. Even if he'd been anyway inclined to disbelieve it as a wild tale, he couldn't. Gemma was sitting in the room as well- that was the woman's only concession. Gemma was a truth-reader and could verify that every horrifying word that the exhausted woman uttered was truth. His skin crawled as she spoke of a plan to set neighbour against neighbour and cousin against cousin in a way that had not been seen in America since the fall of the Confederacy in the 1800's. When he learned of the planned catalyst for the new civil war, he froze to the spot for a second then leaped to his feet, demanding to know when it would happen.

"I don't know. Soon." she answered tiredly. "I came as soon as I could escape. I did all I could. But it's up to you now- if you don't do something, your brother and all his team will be murdered and that will be used as the catalyst for the human-mutant war."

* * *

He ran over the rooftops home, pushing himself to his limits as he leaped from roof to roof- dammit- how could he have left his cell at home? _He hadn't a choice._ He should have brought it anyway! _And then she wouldn't have told you- you still wouldn't know._ Oh, no…please…that he wasn't too late already! _It was their last night- they were probably allowed out- what better time?_ NO! He couldn't think like that- they were the Mutant Ninja Turtles- they were survivors, a team. _But you're not any more are you? You're all split up, went your own ways._ _Vulnerable _He saw spots flashing before his eyes as his breath started coming in short gasps. Bu he could see the outflow pipe from here. He was nearly home, and in record time!

He didn't need to go all the way to the outflow pipe. He dropped into an alleyway and glanced around hurriedly to make sure no-one was around before opening the manhole and dropping down into the sewers. As he pulled back the manhole a pair of rheumy eyes watched from the corner, where the owner was half-buried in rubbish to keep out the cold.

"Well, how 'bout that!" muttered a cracked voice, and the eyes glanced blearily at the bottle in a paper bag. This stuff was stronger then it tasted!

* * *

"Leo! Master Splinter! Donnie!" called Raph urgently as he dived into the Lair. At…early o'clock in the morning, he wouldn't usually wake them but his was a certifiable emergency. Nothing.

"Master Splinter? Don! Leo?" he scrabbled for the lightswitch and gasped. It looked like a bomb had gone off in here. Things were thrown to one side or on the floor- relics of Leo's desperate search for a pen- and…he could see a light flickering in the next room. The TV? Why was that on…at this time? Where was everyone…_no!_ NO! He wasn't going to think that. He moved silently towards the next room, eyes fixed on the flickering lights that made meaningless patterns of whitish light on the glass door. Finally, with a shout of anger, he swung the door open so hard that a pane of glass cracked and saw…nothing. Only fuzz on the screen. With a shaking hand he turned it off, feeling scared. Now what? The shell-cell! He flew upstairs, pausing to make a cursory check for people in the rooms as he passed. Nothing. There! He snatched up his discarded cell and called Leo, who answered in seconds.

"Leo! What's going on? Where are you?"

"You…you got my note?" asked Leo. Raph noticed with alarm how pale his brother looked…and how…upset? Before…no, he must have imagined it. His brother's face was impassive again.

"Note? What note? Listen Leo- Mikey's in danger- there's some sort of plot against him 'n' his team. Leo…"

"Raph." Raph paused at this one simple word as all the words drained away. He'd known all along. But he hadn't wanted to admit it.

"I'm too late…?" he whispered.

"We don't…I think…go to April's. She said… I…I…just…go to April's, Raph. There was an accident at the camp…" he could hear himself saying these stupid wooden words from a great distance, but didn't know how to stop.

"But…but, he's okay, isn't he?" asked Raph, also not fully in control of what he was saying.

"I think…I don't know- listen, just go to April's. She needs someone there and… and I don't think you should stay home on your own. She'll…tell you what we know."

Why couldn't he just _say _it! Raph, Mikey and his team were killed earlier. They want us to go up and confirm that it's him. Ah, yeah- that was why he couldn't say it. He shook his head as he tried to speak but his shaking hand found the disconnect button instead.

Raph didn't ring again.

* * *

_This wasn't right. She'd watched as the elderly rat and the two turtles who looked so much like the young leader of 'Team X' ID'd the body. She felt like crying. She wasn't in the room of course, or even in the same state. She was 'linked' with her husband, a mutant with telepathic mind-powers, and together they watched the terrible outcome of their naivety unfold. She did cry then. Why had they joined these people? Why had she convinced her husband to help these people, by watching these five mutants. So different they were- the calm woman whose outer ice hid raging inner fire, the silent man, the laughing green leader, the bird- woman, the mischievous boy who could fling lightning. And yet, they had become more then the sum of their parts. She and her husband had share their triumphs and mourned their failures. And reported them. They were so young. It wasn't fair! IT WASN'T RIGHT!_

_She had to do something. Her head snapped up. _

_There was something. It was risky though- very risky._

_But if it was possible? _

_She had to do it._

_It was their fault.

* * *

_

I'm getting there...

Ya know the drill.

Ooh, yeah- haven't put up a jolly old disclaimer in a while, so here goes:

_I, Aries Zodiac, being of reasonably sound mind, heraby conclude that the TMNT do not belong to me. The same is true for all X-Men canon. I do own Siren, Steel, Glacier and whatshisface, Electrode. And all the other dudes I made up. If ya don't recognise it, I preob own it. Mine, MINE! Mwahahaha!_

_Maybe not of sound mind then..._

A


	10. 10: The Awakening

_**Chapter 10**_

_**The Awakening**_

_**Lunar-Ninja-** Well, despite your murderous intentions, I've gotten this chappie up. Working around the manacles. Do you have any idea how hard it is to type in chains? Thanks for the word 'baka' by the way. Actually beginning to get on quite well with Rainbou who helped beta! ;)_

_**Becca T-** You asked for it, here it is. Hehehe_

_**Entropy-** (waves hand airily) Nah, quite over the first degree acid burns and getting kinda used to this pretty opera mask... :) _

_**Pacphys- **thanks both for the review and the helpful translation of 'baka'! Oh I don't know- it's kinda fun to royally cheese off Leo. I'll sort him out at some point. :)_

_**Jessiy Landroz-** Uh, I hope so too! Hope this one helps!_

_Also thanks to those who reviewed_ Tarnished Star_, cuz I really wasn't sure what sort of reception that'd get!_

_

* * *

_

Funerals. He hated the word. Leo sat and tried not to think about why he was there. He wasn't alone- though he might as well have been for all the notice he took of those around him. He was still wrapped in that sheet of ice, so carefully built around fragile soul, and looking or talking to others might break it. He couldn't let it break- it was holding him together inside. Once the protective shield of ice was gone he would shatter too. So he didn't look around. Didn't feel.

Donnie sat with him too in the courtyard, watching subdued recruits being shouted around a field by a large man wearing a sergeants stripes. He looked at his brother and sighed. Dammit, Leo! No-one is expecting you to be so strong you lose your humanity too! Only you. Raph had joined them. He hadn't spoken to Leo at all. Perhaps he couldn't forgive him for not telling him. For putting April in that awful position. Don sighed again. He couldn't really blame either of them. And anyway, both were blaming themselves enough. Idiots.

The funerals had been earlier. Five funerals. His fists clenched as he remembered the damn political telling them that there wouldn't be an official military funeral for the…the victims. Oh, he'd made a very pretty speech but it was all 'wind and bluster, signifying nothing'. The top and shot of it was that they just wanted to sweep it all under the rug- the failed experiment- and forget it ever happened. Raph had hissed some very uncomplimentary words at the man- in Japanese- including the word _baka _which would usually have earned him a clonk on the head from his Sensei. However, in this case Don had felt Master Splinter tacitly agreed with him. Small private funerals. Three of the mutants had had no families- no-one outside his place to care if they lived or died, it seemed. So they would be buried here. As would the only other one who'd had family come. He remembered the events of earlier with both tears and a smile or two. Mikey and the others had made more friends then they'd realised…

* * *

"Hi…" He felt stupid saying that but he felt he had to say something. The white-haired woman was sitting on a bench outside the room where the…bodies…lay. She was crying, he thought. Not that he could blame her. 

"You too..?" she whispered, with a hint of both bitterness and a question in her tone. He sighed and sat down. The tears, never far away, bubbled dangerously near the surface again.

"Storm…" she introduced herself. "My…my ward…Si…" Here, the tears returned.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered back past the lump in his throat. "…My brother, too." He shook his head. "I don't understand…"

"Have you looked outside the gates?" she asked. "They seem to…understand…or at least, they think they do."

"Outside? No, we arrived early this morning- there were a few people, yeah, but not many."

"Protesters. Anti-protesters. Random lunatics. Placards."

"Wish they'd leave us alone. The..the last thing we need is some bloody three ring circus!"

"You heard about the funerals?" she asked suddenly." He nodded, the movement tightly controlled in his anger. "Yeah." he said curtly. "We heard."

"They stopped the…the autopsies…for the same reason." she stated angrily, now staring dry-eyed at the opposite wall. Donnie shuddered.

"Yeah well, that may be the only good thing to come out of this… this bureaucratic crap!" he said. She shrugged. "Perhaps."

* * *

They'd decided to have his funeral there as well. With the others. All the rest were staying together so… At first it seemed there would be only a token military presence; as well as the people standing beside the coffins, ready to lower them into the ground was an embarrassed young newbie in the company of a bored looking older man. It was shameful, Donnie seethed. They may not have wanted mutants there in the first place, but this! This was insulting. He realised with a sense like a bucket of cold water down his spine that they didn't care beyond public appearance. They weren't even that important to them. Splinter walked up to the older man. Don could tell that he too was furious. But still he talked in a calm, controlled voice. 

"I am sorry. But myself and my family would like privacy to bury my son. As, I am sure, would the family of Siren Rhodes and the other recruits."

The man opened his mouth to reply but before he could there was a yell from not too afar away.

"ATTENT-SHUN! RIGHT- turn! Johnson! Your other right! Now march!" A tall man commanded the attention of all there as he marched into the area followed by a parade of young men and women in dress blues. The recruits?

"HALT!" The NCO walked up to the two families and saluted before ripping off a textbook salute to the previously bored, now shocked and blustering individual.

"Permission for the recruits to attend?" he asked Splinter and Storm kindly, ignoring the surprised posturing of the other man. Splinter looked at the recruits and then at Storm and those with her; other family, he assumed. She nodded and he turned back.

"Permission granted- and thank you." he replied formally.

"Many of the recruits were deeply affected by this…and we will get to the bottom of it. They had friends here. I am sorry for your loss." he added. He then sighed. "Excuse me, sir."

"You can't do this…you had direct orders…" squeaked the little official.

Fields loomed above him, despising every petty little bureaucrat that had tried to bury these fine brave young people figuratively as well as literally.

"Watch me boyo." he hissed. Not military propriety exactly, but he felt it was necessary. "Now, get out of here. You're not fit to _be _here" He turned without another word.

"If I may." he asked, bowing courteously to Splinter, before turning to face the treeline.

"MALONE! HENRY! KELLY! DARBY! JACKSON! JACKBY! DANIELS! HOLLOWAY! REJOIN RANKS!"

From various different points around the small graveyard the owners of the names came slinking out. Donnie couldn't help but smile slightly- eight people had become friends enough with his brother's team to risk serious trouble and disobey direct orders to come to the funerals.

They gave them a proper military send-off. The Last Post was played and the coffins lowered…

_And the silent watchers breathed easier as the family turned away from empty graves, safe under the illusion that it was all over._

Donnie shook his head. He had a…blank spot there.. The coffins must have been lowered, yes? Yeah...of course they had. So why couldn't he remember it happening? He frowned- no, he was just imagining things…after all, it had been and long and horrible day yesterday.

* * *

He found Storm and her friends- a man with dark hair and a visor, a quiet but imposing man in a wheelchair, a small woman with red hair and another woman with eyes red from tears and a stripe of white through her dark hair. He thought there was one more too- a big man that stayed away from the others, walking around alone and mainly scowling at people, but he never met him. They didn't say much to each other- there wasn't really much to say- and both parties left that day.

* * *

She looked at the others. One looked away, still unsure of what they were about to do. Her husband, ever loyal to her, kept eye-contact though she could feel his doubts too. Only the small woman stared right back at her with no traces of self- doubt or confusion in her eyes- and she was the master of illusions. She turned away from them, back to the wrapped up bundles on the floor. Two days. And five…people…she couldn't bring herself to say 'bodies'- it would make it seem so much the more impossible. No-one had ever tried to do this before and she knew the price could be horrific. But it was a price she was willing to pay if demanded. 

It was her fault.

She went to the smallest first and sat cross-legged. She heard footsteps retreating quickly and her face twisted into a small mockery of a smile. She wasn't surprised. The seer had been most reluctant despite-or perhaps because of- what she knew. Then a pair of footsteps slowly behind her. A hand rested itself on her shoulder- then a smaller one on her other shoulder. She smiled gratefully at the two and then turned back to the task at hand. The battle.

She lowered herself into a trance and kept her hands on the sheet in front of her. She would have to follow this one- the pale blonde woman- into death and bring her back.

* * *

Dark. It was dark. Rushing water…that which ancient humans had called the Styx- the river over which the souls of the dead went. Sailing would take a day or two, there was still time. 

"Where are you?" she whispered. "Glacier? Ganymede Robertson…I've come to take you home. To bring you back. Glacier- your time isn't yet." A misty wraith of a figure. A face appeared, swathed in swirling blonde-white hair. Serene.

_"There is no time here…" _She began to fade but the woman moved forward to grab her- so slow! It was like moving through molasses.

"Come back Glacier! For the others! Please!" She managed to latch onto the wispy… cloth? Not cloth, not here- but the _memory _of cloth, and the eyes of the wraith opened in surprise and…fear?.

_"NO! No, don't make me remember! No…" _she trailed off as the events leading up to her death flashed through her mind.

"It's not too late- you still have a task in life- back there! You can see the gateway, come with me.! She _pulled_ the image with her own mind, feeing her strength waver but the memory of Ganymede Robertson followed her, looking confused.

She struggled, but not wholeheartedly as she reached the gate. The woman stopped and turned to her.

"I can't drag you through wholly unwilling. I won't. Some part of you must want to go back. Will you come?"

_"What's there for me? I have no family, nothing to bring me back…" _she whispered with her head low.

"You do have a family, Glacier- one that would do anything for you as you would for them. They'll need you. Come with me…"

The wraith stumbled a step ahead, becoming more and more substantial as she fell forward, back through the tunnel.

* * *

Reality again. She leaned forward, her hair crystalled with ice and breathed again. The cloth in front of her moved slightly. 

"Glacier?" She pulled at the cloth and the half-frozen face was revealed, eyes wide in terror and lips moving in denial. She was too weak to move her limbs but her head twitched from side to side, and her hair made clinking sounds as the ice shattered.

"Glacier! Ganymede! It's okay- you're safe! You're safe!"

The eyes that were turned to her seemed to suggest otherwise as they silently demanded to know why she had done this to her. Accusing, pleading, before closing in exhaustion.

"I'll get her warm. Are you alright, love?"

"Ye…s, yes… I need…a moment"

He wanted to ask was she certain about this- because he sure as hell wasn't. But he knew the greater battles ahead meant that she could not afford to have anything but unwavering support from him. Or she too, could be lost.

"I'll get her warm", the mistress of illusions said quietly, with unreadable eyes. "Stay with her."

He nodded as wearily, his wife rose to kneel beside the man with dark hair whose power meant he could turn to steel.

* * *

The mutant with the power to defeat death looked at the last with trepidation. This one would perhaps be the hardest. She had found the others easily enough but never someone so different from her in shape and appearance. If his thought processes were different, he might be impossible to find. Glacier had been the easiest- her relative 'normality' as well as her gender made her the closest to herself. The bird-woman had been harder but again, the fact that she was the same sex as the healer made her not impossible. But the final body was that of one who had not even started off human, as well as being male just to top it off. She swallowed and her husband knelt down beside her. 

"Must you do this? Can't you be content with doing what no-one else has ever done? Can't you be satisfied at four?" She was too weary to even raise her head, eyes flat and dull as she spoke.

"I won't abandon this one. He's their leader and they'll need him. At the beginning, he was the one who brought them together. He's the…the glue that holds them as a team. I need to do this."

"Why are you doing this? I know you feel guilty, I do too…but why?"

She shook her head again, momentarily glancing at the door through which the seer had gone. He followed her gaze and sighed.

"You know."

He shook his head, terrified for her but only said in defeat.

"I know…"

"Please…stay with me?"

He put his arms around her and she threw herself into the last- and greatest- battle of all.

**

* * *

You are not welcome here, little one. came a voice from behind her and she turned slowly to face it. If it had felt like moving through molasses earlier, it felt like…glue and treacle now. **

"Please…it is just one more…it has to be completed." she whispered.

**Why little human? Why must you invade the lands of the dead and disturb their rest?**

"Because, it's not their time." she answered.

**Why do you think so? Who are you to decide whose time it is? **A hand reached out and clasped her chin gently, bringing her face up to meet that of the…person there.

"Who are you?" she asked.

**I am the Gatekeeper. Cerberus, if you like.**

"But…wasn't he a huge…dog, guarding the gates of Hell?" The creature laughed.

**You see what you want to see, little human. And storytellers rarely get anything right.**

"Please, will you let me pass? This is the last time I'll enter these gates. It is my fault that these people are dead, and I must bring them back. And they still have a task in that world, else…else I would not pull them out of here."

He looked at her, deep into her eyes and sighed, sadly.

**It shall be as you have said. It _is _the last time you shall pass between these gates. Go… little not-human.**

He vanished, leaving her to wonder what she had done.

* * *

She came back out of the trance and fell to the floor, unable to move. 

"Chrysta!" cried someone, from a distance. She felt someone near her and heard a gasp. She opened her eyes but everything looked different.

"What happened to you, Chrysta? Your…hair and…"

"Her eyes…" whispered someone else.

She could feel her strength returning and struggled to get up. Hands scrabbled to help her but she couldn't feel them. They floated through her as if they had no substance. Or as if she had no substance. She looked at her hair. It was pure white. Her hands came up to feel her face.

"A mirror…please, a mirror." she whispered. Footsteps retreated and returned. She held up the polished glass to her face.

"Where…where am I?" she asked. She had no reflection.

"We shouldn't have done this!" cried her husband in self-recrimination, still unable to touch her. He spun to face the seer who had returned and looked sadly at them.

"You! This is your fault! You…you knew, didn't you?" he finished, eyes narrowing. He turned away, feeling sick at what they'd done, his eyes drawn back to her.

She was ethereal, not quite solid anymore. Her hair, which before had been dark and of a medium length, now swirled in a non-existent wind, white and feathery. Her skin was pale and her eyes… like the ice that had coated her when she returned five times from that place.

_"It is her punishment for daring to do what no human should."_ came a voice from behind them. The one who'd run away at the beginning. The mind-reader, the seer. She was having a vision. _"You told him "This is the last time I'll enter these gates." It has been granted. As your reward. As your punishment. You are Sidhe. Immortal. You have no place here but none there now either."_

"What…what must I do?" she asked, ghostly tears on her cheeks as she looked desperately at her former friend. And at her husband who she couldn't touch.

_"I cannot tell you. Only you can decide what you will do with your immortality. Go. Leave this place. Enter the world and make your decisions."_

The witch sank to the floor and with a terrible scream, the faerie that had once been Chrysta, a mutant who had defeatd death five times,rose up into the air and disappeared, banished to roam the earth until the end of the world, leaving behind five confused, terrified souls, trapped back in their bodies.

The last, who hadn't woken up during the exchange, now stirred. White eyes opened wide in fear as the memories flashed through his mind, woken by the banshee screech.

_Talking, laughing, crash, explosions, painfearscreamsPAIN!_

Like his team, Michelangelo Hamato was back.

* * *

_Confused yet? Don' t worry, that was the last of the really weird chapters, I think. Bear with me! And please review, even if it's just to go 'huh?'_

_**Notes for the terminally confused:**_

(Janet) **Holloway, **(Kate) **Darby **and (Leah) **Jackson **were the three women that Siren and Glacier joined up with after Siren was attacked.

**Daniels was the young guy sent for help when Malone was attacked. He met up with Mikey and Steel on his way to Fields' office.**

**Kelly was the guy that Mikey was training against and part of the gang before they split up to go to the bus/train stations when on leave.**

**Cerberus- Greek guardian of the gates of hell. For the purposes of this sfic, he guards the River and the Gates to the Afterlife.**

**Styx- Greek again. One of the rivers over which the souls of the dead had to pass.**


	11. 11: Recovering, Part 1

**Chapter Eleven**

**Recovering, Part1**

**AZ

* * *

**

Not mine, etcetera di blah. Go sue someone else. Sue that lot who took over West Wing. Or who were in charge of canceling Firefly. They deserve it.

* * *

The rucksack lay undisturbed. It had been placed inside the door of his room and the door carefully closed by Donnie. His room lay undisturbed too- just the way he had left it (i.e. a mess). Donnie watched his family grieving and it broke his heart to see how badly they were coping. They were falling apart and he was desperately worried.

His first plan had been to lock the rucksack in with all the rest of the things that showed another person had ever lived there until such time when they could all cope with seeing them. Looking at his family in the state they were in was forcing him to admit that it had not been the best way to go.

Leo was doing everything in a stony, mechanical silence. His eyes were distant and hard and the only thing he really concentrated on was his training. Donnie had to sometimes force him to eat or drag him away from the dojo and point him in the direction of bed. He was like a stranger to his own brothers.

Splinter had also withdrawn from his sons and that scared Don too. He wished Splinter would understand that they needed him- Leo especially needed him. But their master had aged years in the last few days and for the first time, Don saw the uncertainty within his father. He seemed almost…lost at sea. He would make it back to shore again eventually- he **was** making headway, but Don feared that by the time Splinter recovered enough to help his sons, Leo and perhaps Raph would be long past the point of his aid.

Raph, too. He had disassociated almost completely from his brothers- going out in the early evening and not returning till late morning, when the family were in bed. Or he'd be gone days at a time. He was like a ghost within the layer- never speaking to the others and hardly ever there. Just another locked door. Don could feel the animosity between his two elder brothers though and was worried about the rift building there.

There was no laughter in the Lair.

Even himself. He knew that though he might be dealing the 'best', he was by no means recovered. He knew he needed time to mourn too. But with things so fraught, it was all he could do to try stop his family imploding. He was the only thing currently holding them together at all and if he were incapacitated- whether by grief or just leaving (which he sometimes dearly longed to do) then he knew the family would disintegrate. He was holding them together by being perhaps the most stable thing in the house. He was the neutral line between Raph and Leo on the occasions that they did meet. He made sure Leo and Splinter took care of themselves and that Raph didn't get into too much trouble. He was stretched as thin as a cord and was terrified that if things went on much longer he would snap.

* * *

He stood outside the door and took a deep breath. No-one had opened this door in the week since the phone-call. But it had to be done.

He opened the door and stepped inside, leaving it open behind him, and looked around. It was like his brother had only stepped outside and would be back in a few minutes to tease Don and perhaps invade his Lab in revenge for his entering his room. There was so much of his personality here that it was hard to believe that…that he was…not coming back. Even in his thoughts the word wouldn't come. He frowned and closed his eyes against the stinging.

_**Mikey is dead**_, he forced the words through his head. There. He'd said them. He swallowed sharply and turned to the backpack, leaning against the wall and stared at it. Hell, he wasn't ready for this either was he? No, whether he was or wasn't, it had to be done. And currently, he was the only one able to do it. He just hoped this worked.

He slowly unfastened the cord that held the little 'sack closed and began taking things out mechanically. On top was the bundle of stuff that they had been given- his brothers modified dress blues- he hadn't had a normal uniform but they had been unyielding on the subject of the formal uniform. He looked at it with a wry smile on his face- man, that did _not _look comfortable! Then a sketchpad- a lump came into his throat and he carefully laid that aside, deliberately not looking at that for longer then necessary. Under that he felt something metal. Metal links. He pulled out the weapons favoured by his brother and this time really did lose it.

He sat there for a few minutes, holding the worn but polished nunchacku and not bothering to wipe away the salty water trickling down his face. He felt that same mix of emotions that he'd been holding back for the past week- grief, anger- at the Army who didn't protect his brother, at his brothers and father for not helping each other- for not helping _him,_ and even- here he felt sick- even at his brother, his youngest brother, for getting himself killed and leaving him and his family like this. Fro the first time he didn't force the feelings away. He was too tired this time. His analytical mind went through each emotion, dispassionately examining each one from all sides and discarding it. But when it got to the fury at his brother, even his scientist's mind couldn't quite cope.

"What are you doing?" came a voice from behind him.

Shocked.

Furious.

Leo.

In a way he was glad that Leo had found him- this was sort of what he'd been hoping for. That Leo would show some sort of emotion- anything! Although he had to kinda wish it hadn't been fury.

"What do you think, Leo…?" he replied quietly. "I'm going through his stuff. I'm doing what we should have done a week ago, instead of locking it all away like he never existed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Low. Dangerous. But with a hint of uncertainty?

"You know what I mean Leo! So help me, you damn well know! Look at yourself! All locked away in your little shell- your hiding place where you don't have to talk to anyone- to any of us! You've said barely five words all week! Raph needs you but you're pushing him away- Leo, Sensei certainly needs you- **you** Leo, **not** the ninja, **not** the leader, **you**! And you're doing damn all to help there! And…and I've **tried** to cope, Leo, I really have."

Here he felt his voice quaver, going high and gulping as he let the repressed words flow out of him.

"Getting you and Sensei to eat, getting Raph to sleep, stopping you and Raph from killing each other- do you think I haven't seen what you two are like around each other? I can't do this any more, Leo! I…I'm cracking up too- why do I feel that I've not only lost…lost Mikey but am losing the rest of you too?" His voice which had raised to almost incomprehensible shouting level ended in a whisper. He could now feel tears streaming down his face as he ranted and sank exhausted back to the floor. He felt drained, empty. He hadn't meant to lose control, but that was it. He couldn't do it anymore.

He could see a green blur in the distance, through the shimmering mask over his vision. It hesitated and Don despaired. He'd lost his brother now. Suddenly there was a cautious hand on his shoulder and someone was speaking to him in a low soothing tone as he shook. He wondered was it just his imagination that the hand was shaking as much as he as before realising that the terrible, deadly calm that had engulfed his brother had snapped. He was crying too.

He didn't know how long they'd sat there together but he remembered that together they'd gone through the rest of the contents of the backpack. There wasn't much. Donnie opened the sketchbook curiously and gasped. There was himself on the page, captured amazingly well. He was engulfed in a project and he remembered the occasion- about a month before Mikey had left, when he was drawing everything and anything.

"Leo- look at this." he said and his brother silently came to look over his shoulder. Don was surprised by a low chuckle from behind him. A green finger pointed out some small scrawled words at the bottom of the page.

"Mad Scien… Hey!" read Donnie with a shaky laugh. "Am not!"

"Are too!" retorted Leo. "Here- let's see the next one."

He flicked over the page to reveal Raph. The turtle seemed about the step off the page (probably to beat the artist into a pulp). It was so lifelike though that Don was shocked. The next was a group sketch- all the family at dinner…well, except the person drawing. And…yes, there was an empty spot at the table. The same one as there would be nowadays…if they ever ate at that table anymore, that was. He turned over that page quickly. A couple of pages with beginnings of drawings of a turtle with blades in his hands- roughly scribbled over. Then finally a finished picture of Leo practising. He had captured the look of peaceful contemplation and fierce concentration at the same time.

"Wow…" muttered Leo softly. "Do I really look like that?"

"Yeah- he got you perfectly…" Leo was fascinated by the picture but allowed Don to turn over. There were a few more pictures of the Lair, including one of Master Splinter, before they got onto less familiar subjects.

"I wonder who she is?" asked Leo softly, his finger tracing the delicate lines on the page without touching the paper. The picture showed a young woman- maybe about twenty, blonde and lovely, but with an unmistakable icy hardness about her that made her difficult to define.

"Glacier." replied Donnie, remembering Mikey's letters. "Who else could it be?" The next showed another good-looking young woman with a face full of character, though with none of the astonishing beauty of the first. This was followed by another picture of the same woman only this time she looked angry or excited and a pair of full wings sprouted from her back. She was magnificent. Several more people came off the page and Don had a lump in his throat as he realised that these were done in the last few weeks of these peoples' lives. As he closed the sketch pad several sheets fell out and fluttered to the floor. Leo bent to pick them up.

"They're letters…" he said in tones of surprise.

"_Dear Sensei, Leo, Raph and Don…_" he started to read before Don stopped him. "This is something that everyone should hear- wait till Master Splinter and Raph are here." Leo tensed at the mention of his brothers name and Don sighed, dropping the arm.

"Look, I can't help you sort out whatever the problem is between you two, but will you please…" he shook his head, suddenly angry and tired again. "Ah, what the shell- it's not like you two didn't fight all the time before. Why should you stop just because…because Mikey's dead?" He turned away and walked out of the room with the letters, leaving a shell-shocked Leo behind.

* * *

_Shortish one this time. Just wanted a Leo/Don scene with how they're coping and the explanation._

_I'm in Uni and am finding time to write hard to get. But I haven't deserted this fic- or Just Another Day._

_Please review and give me the support to keep going with this one!_

AZ


	12. 12: Recovering, Part 2

-1**Chapter 12**

_Recovering, Part 2_

AZ

_Heya people, sorry for the wait. I did say that I would definitely put up the next chapter over Christmas and I didn't. I do have a rather good excuse- I was in hospital for most of the holidays with glandular fever and tonsillitis (which, quite frankly, sucked)_

_There is another edition of 'Notes for the Terminally Confused' at the end of this chapter- a summary of everything since about Chapter Nine, but I think this should sort out most of it…_

_Er…you may want to reread **Chapter 10- The Awakening** again, if you're feeling a bit lost. What happened then is gonna be important for this one.

* * *

_

_"Listen to me…I cannot stay long…Can you hear me? Sense me? Concentrate. **LISTEN!"**_

Leo snapped out his meditative trance so abruptly that he nearly toppled with a gasp.

"My son? Are you well?" The aged rat who also meditated in the quiet dojo asked the question with concern in his eyes. The loss of his youngest had made him almost suffocating in his desire to protect what was left of his family. A week on and he was uncomfortable with allowing any of his sons out of his sight, or awareness, when the former was not possible. Now he kept a mental 'eye' on Raph, following the spark of his spirit as the angry son roamed the increasingly dangerous streets. His concern could be almost claustrophobic to his sons who were now used to freedom but Leo was glad of his Sensei's presence.

"I…don't know…" he trailed off. "I couldn't…it was like a presence, trying to make contact with my mind…but…I could almost make out words…" He shook his head. "It was just on the cusp of hearing, not quite distinct enough. But….there was definitely something."

The rat's eyes narrowed in thought. "Did it feel threatening?"

"Nooo…" replied his eldest son, forehead wrinkling. "It felt like something was trying to communicate." He shook his head again. "I will meditate again. Maybe whatever it was will try again."

Splinter nodded slowly. "Be cautious, my son. The mind is a good place to lay traps for the unwary. You are skilled at entering the higher levels and are wary but you have never been seriously challenged. I will anchor you in case of difficulty."

"_Hai, _Sensei," replied Leo, seeing the sense in his master's words. He let himself fall back into the trance, his breathing slowing and becoming regular as he sought for the place he had been when the voice had spoken.

His father watched for danger to another of his children.

Nothing was to come of this watch though and Leo was to leave the dojo less relaxed and tranquil then would be usual for him after meditation.

He entered the kitchen and felt suddenly exhausted as he looked at the messy room. Usually it would be almost spotless, especially when…when Mikey was here. Not because the happy-go-lucky turtle was particularly neat -he was not!- but he loved cooking and…and refused to work in a messy kitchen. He sank down at the kitchen table, a table that had seen all too few family dinners in the last week, or month. Five weeks. Was that all it had been? Five weeks ago, he had been part of a family. A family of outcasts who still managed to make a difference. They'd been like a pyramid, four brothers and Sensei, the centre, holding them together, directing them. But they'd been linked so closely that now one corner was gone, everything was crumbling. The family was spiralling out of control as the pyramid shattered. And it was his fault.

His fault.

He was the leader.

The eldest brother.

"Fearless" Raph had called him when he wanted to annoy him.

But he wasn't fearless.

Every time he had led his brothers into battle he had been terrified. Terrified that under _his _leadership, using _his _plan, he would get one of his brothers killed. Every time he led his brothers into battle he prayed that if anyone was to pay the price for something overlooked, it would be him. Knowing that in all probability, it wouldn't be. Donnie, perhaps- a fearless and clever fighter when necessary, but a pacifist at heart who would always hesitate that nanosecond before striking, hoping for another answer. Raph, maybe. A fighter who relied on strength rather then canniness and whose hot temper so often got the better of him. He would always be in the centre of the fighting, taking out that bottomless pit of fury on some enemy heads. Yes, Raph was always a worry.

Or Mikey. Mikey, for whom he'd never be able to look out for in battle again. Although all four turtles were used to fighting with each others' weapons, Mikey had never been quite at home with the blades of his elder brothers. He was quite good with a staff, but it wasn't _his _weapon. The nunchucks were perhaps the hardest instruments to get a feel for, and definitely the hardest to fight with at a rudimentary level, so the youngest brother was used to losing battles against his older brothers when they was little. Then he had gotten a feel for them and, in a burst of industry that had shocked everybody, he had really worked, spending hours a day doing the complicated patterns of weapons and footwork. He had taken them all by surprise really. But Mikey could never quite take it all seriously enough and his ways had nearly gotten him killed more then once.

No, all of them had their faults in battle that made Leo fear for them. He supposed he did too. He knew he did. Overconfidence was one, although he knew about that and tried hard to eliminate it. But that was why he trained so hard. He trained so that he might pick up the slack, if needed. He trained so that if one of his brothers got into trouble he might just have that extra edge needed. And it had worked on numerous occasions.

_But it hadn't worked this time!_ He hadn't been there and his worst fear had come true. He hadn't been there and it was his fault. He stared at a pan with burned sauce in the bottom- one of his own experiments as he tried to make up a dish that his youngest brother had always been able to whip up with ease. His eyes stayed dry this time. He thought that perhaps he couldn't cry any more, after what had happened with Donnie in Mikey's room, when he'd found the purple turtle methodically packing away Mikey's stuff.

Donnie hadn't come out of his lab in the last few days, feverishly working on something. Leo, or occasionally Raph would go in every so often and make him eat something. Raph would be back soon.

After another minute he put on an apron mechanically and started to wash up. It as his turn to cook tonight. They would all be in this time and now…he gripped an innocent cup tightly…tonight they would go through Mikey's stuff properly- those letters for one. Tonight they would start being ninja again. Tonight would mark the start of true blood-feud. Mikey could not be brought back, but he **would **be avenged!

* * *

"Oracle. Are they here? Are they still asleep?" The voice came over the com and the seer known as Oracle wanted to scowl. Her face twisted in the dark with anguish. God forgive her for what she was doing. But…it was the only way. In all the thousands of possible futures she had Seen first and then desperately Searched, this was the only way in which full World War could be avoided. She whispered an affirmative to the comm, tears streaming down her face in the gloom of her room in the innocent country house which sheltered five recently- deceased, newly reborn mutants and the people that had betrayed and then saved them.

Chrysta! Oh, Chrysta. Her fate was much worse then Oracle's own. But had she lived, the cruel disease that was eating her lungs would have killed her. Chrysta never found out that she was in the final stages of lung-cancer and Oracle, who had seen both fates, had not told her.

She heard the door crash and shouts from below. She was on the upper floor. The others had left on a supply trip. The mutants were in a medically induced sleep downstairs, as they had been for almost a week, unprotected as their bodies recovered from the stress of death and the return to life.

Why had she started on this road? Why had she joined this small party of idealists? Chrysta and her husband Robert. And Robert's sister, the strong willed mistress of illusions, Mirage. Mirage had been the first one to join that shadowy group of mutants who used humans for their own ends. Oracle knew that she would be the one to betray the ideals of Chrysta and Robert. Poor Robert. He'd lost his wife. He'd lose his sister and friend. Within days, he'd learn that Mirage had known all along that these people controlled humans and had set out to kill the mutant Team X. The young couple had thought that they were helping the trainees- reporting on them, using Robert's powerful mind-Gift to See them- and those who hurt or helped them.

The noises downstairs had faded. The mutant…mutant _children _would be gone, she knew, if she ventured downstairs. She closed her eyes but still the tears leaked through as she continued her mind-narrative of why she had betrayed the people she saw as family.

Then the mutants' deaths- as she had foreseen but not told. And Chrysta's reaction when she realised that it had been their information that had lead to those deaths. But she had not needed to See that- she knew it would happen just from her knowledge of poor innocent Chrysta and her powerful and unique Gift.

Robert's accusation. Yes, she had known. And she would bear that guilt for the rest of her life.

And now a small rogue group of NID operatives had been allowed to snatch these children. And their time in the NID's hands would not be pleasant although mercifully short.

So why had she done this?

Quite simply because it was the only way.

She had Seen over a thousand terrible terrible futures in which the world was rent apart by war. The civil war had started in America when what had started as minor clashes between humans and mutants had gotten out of hand.

An assassination attempt on the mutant Team X had failed- a minor headline on June twelfth.

A mutant stronghold had been blown up by anti-mutant protesters two days later. The Army had been called in to help patrol the streets, interrupting the training of Team X, who had been killed on duty by a sniper, not a week after the first attempt had failed. Just another couple of deaths.

Then the President had been assassinated and mutants blamed. All of North America had been smouldering for months and this act was more a hand grenade then a match. North America went up in flames. First those who were obviously mutants were taken, killed and often horribly. Then- the horrors of mutant registration. Some clever sods had hacked the entire list and put it up on the internet for all too see.

In almost one thousand realities, July 5th would become known as the 'Night of Guns'. Witch-hunting vigilantes murdered their neighbours and hounded down the almost five thousand listed mutants, killing nearly four hundred. Then the Middle East- which didn't often need much to set it off, exploded into open warfare while America and the UN were distracted. Various parts of Africa took advantage as people in small unstable countries staged coups and counter-coups. And, as always, it was the ordinary people that suffered. Finally, in November, the EU collapsed as each country was undone by everything from riots to civil war. Countries turned on themselves and ate themselves from within.

One thousand realities and a World War which wouldn't end for three bloody years until people were too hungry to fight themselves. Terrorists on both sides had targeted places like Sellafield in Britain and about half the nuclear stations in France and Germany. Most were mercifully contained but even the blowing up of Sellafield alone devastated Britain and eastern Ireland, destroying farmland and fishing. Finally, famine and disease plunged more then half the world back into the Dark Ages.

One thousand realities.

And then this one.

If they killed the mutants now and then brought them back without anyone knowing about it. She had Seen the one single future in which the President had _not _been killed- the plot had been foiled by five young people who by all accounts were dead. World War had been averted. It would cost lives…but not as many as otherwise.

There were so many thing which could go wrong. Chrysta might not have had the strength to pull all five back. The NID group might accidentally kill the mutants while doing their 'tests'. The riots that even now plagued the streets of all the major cities of North America might spark up before the mutants could complete their all-important task. But Oracle had Seen it. She had pushed it this far an she hoped it had been enough. It was too late now to worry…

The door whispered open. Oracle stood, there in the dark. She had seen this too.

"I'm sorry, Oracle. But you know too much."

"I know," she replied quietly. This was the other price.

The silencer didn't quite cover the sound of the shot, but out here in the countryside, even in broad daylight, who was there to hear?

* * *

_Hey people, _

_Okay, I know some were confused at the end of chapter 10 (where Mikey came back), so I'll just give a quick recap on the story so far._

_As explained in this chapter through Oracle's eyes, she was part of a minor group helping a bigger group. Chrysta and Robert were innocent, if rather naïve; they thought that by passing information, using Robert's strong telepathic Gift, they were helping Team X, when in fact the information helped lead to their deaths at the hands of a group of mutants who are controlling humans. Robert's sister, Mirage (the "mistress of illusions", present when Chrysta revived the team, knew exactly what was going on and was helping the group use the innocent couple for their own purposes._

_Mirage and Robert stole the bodies during the funeral-but they messed up slightly on Donnie who realised he had a gap in his memory. _

_Chrysta revived our Five but was punished for her audacity in going into death five times. She was turned into one of the Sidhe- a faerie that cannot pass through the Gates of Death, just like she said (without knowing the consequences)_

_Yes, Oracle knew all along and pushed events along this route. Why? Because her Gift was strong 'Second Sight'. She Sees all possible futures- and in every future in which the mutants did NOT die, the world was plunged into war. So their deaths- and subsequent betrayal (by Oracle) to this second group- these rogue NID people is necessary to prevent this war. Otherwise they'd have died in the streets anyway ("The Army had been called in to help patrol the streets, interrupting the training of Team X, later killed on duty by a sniper") The other death that was necessary was her own._

_Phew…_

_Oh, and Becca T- you were right in saying that Glacier (Ganymede) made a huge sacrifice, although not perhaps the one you think. She is not Chrysta (although you gave me some very interesting ideas). She did have to return to a world where she is an outcast, from the place where she was at peace. But she did it because she was needed._

_And finally, something seems to be trying to contact Leo._

_So, I hope that clears up any confusing points! I'll be back soon!_

_AZ_

**NEXT CHAPTER- Recovering, Part 3**

**Reading the unedited letters and Leo manages to talk to whatever it is that's trying to contact him. Donnie has some startling news. Raph almost certainly loses his temper.**


	13. 13: Recovering, Part 3

**_Chapter 13_**

_**Recovering, Part 3

* * *

**_

_Thank-you to Becca T, Galaxya, Jessiy Landroz, Lunar-ninja, Jen, horvagab, incinera, Takato Metallium, pacphys, Celeste38, Ginger, Stormy1x2, and chuckles ,who reviewed to the last couple of chapters._

_Still not mine. Well, Team X is._

_No persons, living, dead, sidhe or chelonian were harmed (much) during the making of this production. Not tested on animals. Please recycle packaging._

_

* * *

_

Leo entered the living room and placed the package of letters they had received from Mikey on the table. He then placed the sketchpad on the small table also. Interspersed between the leaves were all the other letters Mikey had written, the diary of letters never sent . Don looked at Leo's set face and then at the letters. He swallowed a sudden lump but said nothing. Raph froze when Leo entered but continued to stare a screen which flickered but now didn't make any sense to him. But despite himself, his eyes were drawn to the papers.

Leo had been surprised that Raph hadn't called immediate vengeance on Mikey's…killers. He had been even more surprised that he hadn't. Why not? It had taken a while to realise that Raph had in a way. Always out, never speaking, moving in that grim fury. He'd asked Raph where he was going once. It was late and he heard his brother open the door. He'd been brooding in the living-room, unable to sleep and he was out by the culprit in under a second. He called after Raph, needing to know where he was going. He'd been surprised how strange his voice sounded. Raph had glanced back, caustic remark already on his tongue, but his face had softened slightly as he took in his brother's white face and the strain in his voice.

"I'm going out. I 'm trying to track down the woman who warned me. I'll be careful," he added after a second.

But Leo wondered why it had taken himself so long to react.

Raph didn't want to look at the letters. He knew what they were all right. He knew that they might contain answers. He needed to read them- needed to find out why this had happened. But…he was scared.

He had pushed aside his own sorrow by pounding the pavements, following up his own leads, trying to get in contact with the woman- Oracle, he remembered her name to have been. But it was like she'd never existed. Sometimes, in the night, he wondered had he just dreamed the whole thing. Then he would get up and quietly leave the Lair to pound the streets again, cracking heads if needed- muggers, vigilante mobs if they were there. With every punch he felt like he was gaining vengeance for his brother. Later, when his head cooled and his split knuckles hurt, he knew he hadn't. Raph's knuckles never got time to heal nowadays. But he still hadn't talked to his brothers. Still hadn't cried and still hadn't mentioned Mikey's name aloud. He couldn't. Sometimes he felt like he might but then the heat of his fury seemed to burn the threatening tears away.

"It's time to do this." Leo said when nobody spoke. "These are the letters Mikey sent us." He indicated the small pile. "This is what Don found in his bag." He picked up the sketchpad, holding it carefully. "It's full of letters, addressed to us…but…" He sat down, still cradling the pad. "These were never sent. I think they were…more like a diary. There might…might be some sort of clue…something in here that can help us. We…we're too late to save him but we can avenge him." His voice, which had gone rather shaky now came back into focus and a note of steel gave menace to the words. He licked his lips, a nervous flicker of his tongue before he pronounced the next words.

"I, Leonardo Hamato, call blood-feud on the murderers of my brother, Michelangelo Hamato. He was killed by people of no honour and I pledge to restore his name and his honour by avenging his death. If, by my life or death, I can accomplish this, I will."

Splinter had not spoken, as he watched the proceedings with sad eyes. Now sighed and nodded. "I had hoped you would never have to call blood-feud, my sons. But your brother was murdered and it is up to us, his family to avenge his death and restore the honour to his name. Blood-feud is called and accepted by Leonardo Hamato and accepted as a just cause by his Sensei." He bowed his head and waited.

"I want to get the people that did this too. Mike's my bro too. I call blood-feud on the people that did this." He paused and then said, rather gruffly. "I, Raphael Hamato, also of this clan, join my brother in calling blood-feud on the p…people that killed Mikey." He sealed his lips tightly after this, the first time he had said his brother's name. But his eyes met those of first Leo and then Splinter challengingly, dry and fierce.

Don was last to speak and he no longer looked the pacifist as he spoke the binding words. They were accepted by Splinter. By the customs of blood-feud they only had a certain period of time to avenge the death before they were dishonoured also.. But for the moment that wasn't a consideration as the moment of seriousness dropped a silence over the room. Don reached out with a deliberate hand and picked up the letter they had received. He went to the bottom of the heap and looked at the dates until he'd found the earliest.

"I think, at least at the beginning, these'll correspond. We can find out what he was leaving out. Leo?" Leo handed him the sketchpad, letting go of it almost reluctantly. Don tried not the look at the pictures- he couldn't afford to get distracted. This was a puzzle, just an impersonal challenge to his scientific mind. A…murder mystery his unhelpful mind supplied.

"Here!" he said rather louder then necessary, trying to shut up that blasted little voice.

"We should all go through each one, not split them up." said Leo reluctantly. "Better chance of picking up everything." Don nodded and started to read aloud, first the 'official' one and then the longer one that was dated the same day. He finished the short one and frowned.

"The only thing he tells us is that some of the people in the barracks would be likely to rifle his mail. That's pretty normal hazing though. No names given- well, his teammates' but…that's not going to be helpful now…" He trailed off and angrily shook his head. He started to read the diary letter. They listened in silence, taking notes on important bits but for all four it was like the youngest member of their family actually talking to them, much more so then the stilted tone of the one they'd received so many weeks before. When Don reached the line

_"Don't think I've seen anyone so mad since we defeated Shredder- the, what, seventh time? The one when he threw a complete and utter wobbly over it." _

even Splinter smiled gently at the phrase that was so irrepressibly Mikey.

There was a pause when he'd finished. No-one spoke for a second. Don forced his scientist- tone. He could not afford to get distracted. There were so many letters to go! They had to be professional…cold…

"Tells us a bit more." he managed, his voice more under control as he continued talking. "We have some names to follow up- George Henry and Paddy Malone. And the attacks- why didn't he tell us about that? Hard to tell, but it sounds like four separate attacks too- at least one serious enough for someone to be in hospital over it."

"Damnit Mikey, ya couldn't have been a bit more… told us, no?"

"Would you have, if you were in Michelangelo's place?" asked Splinter, not unkindly. "He seems to have felt he had something to prove, to himself if nothing else."

Raph shrugged, but his eyes dropped.

Don read the next several in his scientist-voice, cold and clipped, and dissected the content even more clinically. They were learning a lot but Leo could see Raph's temper rising at his brother's impassive tone. He found it painful himself but he understood Don's reasons. Raph didn't and misplaced hurt and anger was getting ready to unleash.

"_Dunno why I'm still doing this really. By this point I know I'm never going to send any of these letters. I'll just write a short note, glossing over the bad stuff and avoiding saying…well, pretty much anything about anything."_ read Don. It was if he was reading a damn _shopping list _or somethingto Raph's ears and the pain in the writing coupled with Don's apparent indifference finally added that bit of pressure that brought all the fury and pain of the last week out in a deadly hiss.

"Go on, it's not like it's your brother there - you know, the one who was murdered- who's hurtin' in these letters. It's just some damn project to you, isn't it!" He found himself shaking, fists clenching and unclenching. To his horror something swelled in his throat, thankfully blocking any more speech. Don had faltered into silence at the unjust accusation. The thin shell of science he had wrapped around himself to read the letters cracked like the fragile skin it was and he found himself staring at blurred characters scrawled on the page. Leo was shocked speechless, fury and fear welling up inside him for both brothers.

"Raphael! Apologise to your brother- do not suggest that this has no affected him as much as it has yourself or Leonardo or myself."

But Raph could barely hear him as the blood roared in his ears and he tried to hold back the lump in his throat and the smarting in his eyes. He couldn't have spoken now if he'd tried. He shook his head, trying to clear it but unfortunately Splinter misinterpreted the gesture. Raph glanced at his purple-banded brother and regretted his harsh words more then he would have had if Splinter had shouted at him for a year. He saw Don's hand shaking as tears slid out and spattered the paper. He was horrified at himself for saying those cruel words to the gentle turtle but was frozen in place. He glanced at the door, wanting to run but Don's shaking stopped him. In a spontaneous gesture that left him utterly shocked he crossed the distance between him and hugged his younger brother, regretting every word. Don didn't pull away but he kept a careful grip on the page, protecting it. For some reason this finished off Raph's carefully built defences and he broke down, suddenly crying as he hadn't done in front of his family since he was three. Don was crying too but he hugged his distraught brother back, trying to comfort him. But Raph had ever been one to feel his emotions deeply and even as he was unreachable in anger, there was no stopping this emotion once it had taken him.

Splinter realised his own error and now moved towards his son, helping him to the couch and talking softly to him. Leo felt almost uncomfortable seeing his brother in this state. Raph angry, yes, Raph wanting to beat him up, yes, Raph sobbing like a child- his world had suddenly turned upside down. He suddenly felt old and uncertain. In a world that could kill Mikey and have Raph shattered and Don not far behind, what else could happen? He leaned over the table and picked up the sketchpad, opening it at the picture Mikey had drawn of him doing katas, a look of serene concentration on his face. The face blurred for a moment and this time he didn't immediately force the tears away. A small part of his brain analysed what was happening. This is normal, this should happen. You should be upset, you should not force yourself to hide it.

On the couch Raph seemed to have calmed down and his breath came in whooping gasps, as violent as the attack had been, he had been close to hyperventilating. Don's quieter weeping had not ceased but he held on to his brother until the attack passed.

"I'm sorry, Don." managed Raph when he could talk again. "I…I don't know why I said that…" His vice was becoming gruffer. In a moment he would be hideously embarrassed and retreat from the room. He'd probably avoid them all for days.

Sure enough, Raph pulled away from Donnie and retreated to the bathroom to wash his face but too everyone's surprise, he returned, face strained, but head high.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered. "But we need to keep going…we're learning too much from this to stop now. Don, I'll take a turn at reading for a while, you've done enough."

Leo looked slightly surprised, Splinter had a flicker of pride in his son's maturity and gave him the smallest of nods.

Raph soon found that reading was hard and he was forced to adopt a voice rather like Don's 'scientist voice'. If he could be someone else while reading them aloud, then the words were just words, not Mikey's letters, the only contact he left behind.

"_Leo, you'd never believe this. Actually, none of you would, but…okay…man, this too weird. We were called into Field's office, after he landmine injured Electrode. He wanted to know why I went back for him…" _

Raph paused to grin fiercely. "Good for you Mikey. You don't leave someone behind!" He continued.

"_He seemed satisfied when said it felt wrong leaving him behind. Anyway, when the others got in he told us that a branch known a 'Special Operations', or 'Black Ops' wanted us. Us, a green team, barely half-way through training. We needed to know if some human who'll resent us from the get-go was going to be in charge. He said that if wee accepted we would be an independent team with me as provisional leader and Siren 2IC. I was gobsmacked, completely and utterly. Being leader…it's weird. I mean, I've always been the youngest, I follow orders but… when I'm leader in team exercises I wonder is this how you feel the whole time Leo? Responsible for everyone's life, on that knife edge of fear and adrenaline, trying to figure out have you covered every possible angle…terrified that someone else will pay the price for your shortcomings…"_

Leo nodded. Yes, he'd been there. Many many times.

_"_Hang on…" said Raph. "It ends there, but there's another sheet- sketchpad paper. He's written all about it here. He was suspicious of the offer. Glacier got angry, there was a row…they finally came down against…he gave up the team-leadership." He read what Mikey had written that day in the bunkhouse, all his problems with the offer. He found himself nodding grimly, impressed at the common-sense and maturity his irresponsible young sib had shown.

_"_There was something going on here all right. Mikey did right to turn down that offer- there was something deeply fishy about the whole set-up." said Leo when Raph fell silent at the end.

"Is that it?" asked Don. Raph looked at the date and swallowed hard.

"It's dated June twelfth," he said quietly and the room fell silent again, no-one needing to be reminded of the significance of _that _date.

They talked a while longer before everyone retreated to their beds, exhausted by the mental trauma of the night. Raph wouldn't feel the need to run tonight, having gained some sort of temporary carthesis from his breakdown. Don would go back to work , feverishly calculating and triangulating before falling into exhausted sleep at his desk.

It was perhaps unsurprising, given the events of the day, that his overstressed mind should take him back to that terrible day in the little graveyard on June fourteenth. He saw again the burial and then…there was something wrong! Why couldn't he remember? The coffins had been lowered! They must have been…so why didn't he remember? He was ninja and a scientist. His brain was, without boasting, in the top percentage of those in the entire nation, quite possibly in the world.. He had a photographic memory and every other detail of that horrible day was etched on the inside of his brain as if carved with a knife. His mind beat at the memory, trying to force sense out of it even as his body shivered and sweated at the desk.

And then…

And there was a crack…a thin crack. No the memory made more sense because there _was _a space! He worked away at it and was rewarded a lifetime later by two sudden flashes. Two people-a brown-haired man and a woman who looked like him enough for them to be related- brother and sister perhaps. And the coffins…loading them into a van. They had helped them load the coffins into a van! And…and..then the woman had closed her eyes and placed her hands on the sides of the mans' head as he stared into the eyes of each person there…implanting memories…they had faked the memories of the bodies going into the ground. And the recruits and Sergeant? Surely they…illusion! It was an illusion, the thought came to him sharply. The recruits hadn't stopped it because they never saw it happen. The only thing he could not figure, even in that rather warped logic that only makes sense when you are dreaming, was why they had helped. He couldn't…remember…it had only been a a…flash that had come back…

Stop… you remember an unbidden thought. Sleep peaceful now…

He stopped shivering and shaking in his sleep and his body allowed itself to recover naturally.

* * *

Leo found it hard to sleep and his rest, when it came, was fitful. It wasn't until late that he finally gave up and went to the dojo to meditate. He sat cross-legged and tried to relax his body and let his mind follow the old patterns. His mind gradually stopped racing and started settling. Without quite realising it, he fell into a much deeper trance then he'd ever tried before. And then… 

_Can you hear me now? Please, I can't stay long._

**I…I hear you**, 'said' Leo in surprise. He 'spoke' softly, trying to stay in the place where the 'reception', for want of a better word, was clearest. Who are you?

_I…My name was Chrysta… Chrysta Aylward. I have been searching for you… the voice trailed off._

**Wait! Why? **

The 'voice' when it next spoke sounded strained, as if the owner was using a lot of effort to communicate.

_I can't say much, this is very difficult. I…I was partly responsible for what happened to your brother- although believe me, I never suspected…I never meant them harm, please believe me. Find Robert Aylward in Refuge. Country house outside DC and…and trust your brother. I helped him remember something about that day. Your brother is…_

The voice had been fading and now Leo strained to hear.

**Wait! **He begged the voice, sensing that the last word was very important.

…_Alive_…

* * *

TBC 

Oh, all right…

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Searching for Refuge**

" "_Number 401 is awake. Subject seems to be a large humanoid but has a chelonian appearance. Reaction to bright lights, like a human or ape."_

_The voice was cold, dry and impersonal. A clipboard voice. Mikey hated it on principle._

_"Number 401 isn't deaf. Nor is he stupid." he managed angrily, before clamping down on any further words.

* * *

_

**Roadtrip for Don, Leo and Raph as they struggle against hope that Mikey may be alive. Chrysta's fate. Mikey returns…and he's in trouble (what else is new?)**

Please review…and tune in for the next episode.

AZ


	14. 14: Searching For Refuge

**Chapter 14**

**Searching for Refuge.

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**

_Brief recap, seeing how long it's been. Mutants known to exist. Turtles separated- Mikey into the Mutant Army Integration Program where he joins a group of other mutants. After the entire team is murdered by person or persons unknown, Don realises that there's some strange gaps in his memory. The team was revived by a powerful mutant called Chrysta Aylward who felt guilt over heir deaths. Another mutant, Oracle, organised the capture of the newly-resurrected mutants by another shadowy group, as this course of events is the only one in which Mutant/ Human war can be averted in the future. Something has been making contact with Leo while he's meditating.

* * *

_

Don looked tired but triumphant the next morning.

"Look." He held out a small piece of machinery in his hand. Raph and Splinter looked at it with a certain amount of bewilderment. Don looked rather shifty.

"Don't get too mad Raph…" he muttered in tones of a prayer before leaning over and pinching the back of Raph's neck where it was protected by the shell. Raph yelped and swatted the hand but Don had already backed off with something else in his hand, leaving Raph rubbing the back of his neck and scowling.

"Is that a tracer, Donatello?" asked Splinter with interest as Don held the two pieces. Don affirmed it with a nod.

"This can be linked to the computer in the lab," he said indicating the larger of the two devices. "This one that I pulled off Raph is the trace. It sends out a scrambled signal on a wavelength that most tracking devices, or receivers wouldn't pick up. The receiver unscrambles the signal and codes it into the computer. Only I can access the program and I can track any of you." He blushed. "I'm sorry…it was after Leo disappeared- when the Foot got him. I…I was mad at myself that I couldn't trace him, that I'd never thought of this before…so after all that ended I developed this. I know I should have asked…" Splinter held up a paw.

"Perhaps you should, my son. But you were upset and now… Why are you showing us this?"

Leo came into the room now, late for once. His eyes were bright and excited but his face was confused. He opened his mouth but closed it again as the words came into his head _trust your brother_. He sat down without saying anything. Now Don began moving, as he always did when trying to explain something.

"I wondered why Mikey's tracker wasn't working. It kept moving around after…after I knew it couldn't be. It was reacting differently also. The tracker should show you as a dot, while this orange one was flickering. Sometimes it would go out for ages and others it would be fine. The day after…the funeral I went to deactivate it and it wasn't where it should be. It should have been at…at the airbase…but it was appearing and disappearing and moving, like he was travelling. I figured it was faulty. Maybe it was damaged in the…attack. But then it disappeared, like it went out of range. These aren't very powerful- one fifty, two hundred miles, that's about their limit. So I've been working on it. Then last night…I was dreaming. There was something weird at the funeral. I can remember every single detail of that day." He looked from one face to the other, confused, serene, hopeful, worried, anticipatory. He glanced at Leo again shrewdly.

"Leo? Do you know something?" Leo shook it off.

"Keep going. I had an experience last night too- I'll say in a minute. But I believe you."

"Okay…the one detail I couldn't remember was the coffins being lowered. Then last night, I fought to remember and I got…flashes, I guess. Two people, a man and a woman- the did something to our minds." he recounted what he had seen the previous night and there was a silence for a moment.

"Leonardo. You said you also had an experience last night. Can you recount it for us?" Splinter asked. Even his customary serenity seemed shaken by Don's story. Why had his son's body been stolen?

Leo told of the conversation the previous night, finishing with "I couldn't entirely hear the last words but…this sounds crazy…I could swear she said 'alive'. _Your brother is alive._ She said she was partly to blame and that I was to trust my brother as she'd helped him remember something- I can only assume she meant Don- and he did. It makes sense. Except…"

"Except we identified him. We _saw _him, Leo. Nothing can bring the dead back to life. It can't be done. And he- they all- were dead at least twenty-four hours. It's not possible Leo. I want to believe it too…but…" Don shook his head.

"Come on, Don! Is it any stranger then travelling back in time to Ancient Japan? Meeting aliens? Taking part in tournaments in distant galaxies? You've seen so much 'impossible' stuff. Why is this one so hard to believe?" demanded Raph. His eyes blazed again, but this time hope replaced the normal anger. It never occurred to him to disbelieve his brothers. He might fight them, argue with them, be completely frustrated with them on occasion but he trusted them absolutely. If they said it happened, then it happened. Which meant…

"_He might be alive_…" he whispered.

Silence fell again as this filtered through. Splinter watched with fear in his eyes. He desperately wanted it to be true but feared for the effect on his family if this turned out not to be. The death had nearly destroyed them. If they were wrong this could shatter them beyond hope of recovery. And yet…

"Either way, you have a name. Robert Aylward. And Chrysta Aylward. A relative. Sister, perhaps, or wife. Refuge, outside Washington DC."

"She said 'was'. So does that mean she's dead? I mean, what was it that talked to me last night? A ghost?"

"Perhaps so. One of a mutant with a very strong Gift it seems. But a ghost that can communicate to one in meditation... She must have known how to find you, Leonardo. Perhaps…perhaps through contact with your brother…" he spoke the last words reluctantly, loath to raise his sons hopes if they were going to be cruelly dashed.

"Well, if she was responsible for Mikey and his team and she's now dead, it follows that she only died in the last week or so. So parish records would show it. Or local newspapers. Chrysta Aylward- can't be too common a name," was Leo's logical contrubution.

"Alright- I'm to the 'net. Might be something there."

"That woman- the one who gave me the warning- Oracle, her name was. I found out that she's from somewhere near Washington DC. Around Alexandria seems to be the best guess anyone can give, but I can't narrow it down further. Try there first," said Raph, acting on a hunch. Don nodded and left the room. Leo, Splinter and Raph looked at each other rather helplessly. Don was the one with the best chance of discovering anything. They felt rather superfluous to requirements for the moment.

"Well, I guess I'll make breakfast," said Leo finally. "My turn anyway. 'Bout as useful as anything we can do for now." Raph growled slightly at the inaction. He then looked rather sheepish as his stomach echoed the noise and the tension in the room faded slightly.

* * *

It was dark. That was all he could discern and he felt disorientated and scared. Where was he? Who was he? Why was here and where the hell was here? These questions followed each other through his head for one panicky moment. Training, faces flashed through his mind, attack in an alley, army, Missing his family, race, Electrode, Siren, Glacier, Steel, Fights, allies, friends, teammates. ATTACK! The pain as the bullet hit him again, the feather floating downwards. 

Then peace for a time. And a voice, asking, insisting. He followed it and was back in this sharp spiky world. Where were the others? Had they come back? What was his name?

_Mikey…I am Michelangelo Hamato. I…was murdered. I'm back, _he thought, memories returning and his mind calming as he answered some of the questions. He shied away from the fact that he'd…died and returned, focussing on where he was. He couldn't move. His arms were fastened by his sides. He was on his back too. Dammit. He tried to rock on his shell but found that he was in a hollow effect. Whatever he was fastened into made allowances for his shell and he was effectively pinned in place in the dark. Okay…not good. Chances were he wasn't in the barracks then. His eyes were useless in the darkness of this…room, he assumed. He quietened his breathing and listened. No sounds. So he was alone in here. How long had he been here? No- that was conjecture. Useless. Facts. He needed cold hard facts. So- he was immobilised in a chair/ bed/table thing that had obviously been prepared for him. He was alone and he didn't know where he was, who had captured him or if the others were still alive.

Well, this sucked.

* * *

"I have something!" came the shout from the Lab. Forgetting the sausages which were sizzling away in the pan, Leo was first to the door, closely followed by Raph who nearly climbed over him. Splinter followed more sedately with his cane, but even his steps were more hurried then customary. 

"What? What is it?"

"'**_Search for young housewife continues,_**' is the headline for the _Alex Journal_. Dated today." He started to read the main copy.

"_The search for young housewife, Chrysta Aylward continues today, a week after she vanished. Her husband, Robert Aylward (30), has been questioned as to her disappearance but fears are in the local community the pretty twenty-seven year old is dead. It was well-known that the couple were both mutants which caused some strife in the quiet suburbs of Alexandria when it was first known, but since the quiet but popular pair have carved their place in this close-knit community and were widely accepted. A tearful neighbour said "I fear that some of these terrible anti-mutant people may have hurt her. I knew she was one but I could never hold it against her. She's a kind and lovely woman and we all pray she is safe."'_

"Chrysta and Robert Aylward. It fits." said Leo unnecessarily.

"So why are we still here? Let's get to Alexandria and find Robert Aylward!" demanded Raph, already half-way to the door.

"_Sensei_?" asked Leo, looking at the elderly rat master.

"Go, my sons. I will remain here and try to find Michelangelo through my meditation, if, indeed, he is alive. But my sons, please do not raise your hopes too high. And remember what Chrysta said- although she, and possibly her husband, caused your brother's death, they did not mean harm to come to him and the true killers are still out there. Be careful."

"_Hai_, _sensei_," replied Leo seriously. He might need to keep a leash on Raph, who already had a dangerous look in his eyes as he stared at the picture on the screen of a young couple smiling into the camera.

Don switched off the machine as Raph went to get the van warmed up. It would be a long journey. Leo paused for a second in the living room before disappearing a moment into Mikey's room.

"Come on, Leo!" shouted Raph impatiently as Don took his place in the drivers seat and Leo climbed into the back with a sigh. It was always a bit of a fight for the front seat as whoever was in the back was due to be shaken around and occasionally thumped by boxes or whatever else cluttered the floor of the van.

"We're gonna take the back roads as much as possible." said Donnie, glancing briefly at the map before making a sharp left turn. The was a muffled yelp from the rear of the van as Leo got pelted with grit and small pebbles that had inexplicably found their way in.

"Sorry Leo," he called back rather belatedly before continuing. "I've been following the news- New York simply isn't safe to drive through. Especially not for us. You've all seen the riots- they're getting worse. I wouldn't be surprised if it does erupt into open civil war soon, just like that Oracle woman said," he added seriously. "If we're seen we could end up trying to fight any number of people. Stoppit Raph. We're good but we can't fight people with guns. Besides, we don't have the time to go looking for trouble. We need to get to Alexandria. Leo? Are you minding that laptop? It can't get damaged- we need to link the tracker into it when we get there- hopefully we'll be in range from there and…" he trailed off. Leo looked around guiltily before wincing as he realised he was sitting on the leather bag holding the precious machine. He eased himself onto the floor beside it and tried to look as if he'd been there all along. Another sharp turn had him grabbing the side of the van and wincing.

"When we get to Camden, we're switching. _I'll _drive and someone else can mind the laptop for a while," he said firmly. Otherwise, this was going to be a long journey!

* * *

Mikey didn't know how many hours he was there in the dark for. He tried meditating but couldn't settle down enough. Like Raph, he was of too active and impatient a nature to settle easily. Splinter had always half suspected that his youngest, and perhaps the second-oldest had mild attention-deficit disorder. And in the case of the youngest, ADHD wasn't out of the question. Whether this was or wasn't the case, Mikey certainly wasn't able to concentrate now. Then, after an eternity in the dark, a light! A door had swung open behind his head letting artificial yellow light into his room, where it attacked his eyes and made them water. He shut them tightly as they stung. 

"Number 401 is awake. Subject seems to be a large humanoid but has a chelonian appearance. Reaction to bright lights, like a human or ape."

The voice was cold, dry and impersonal. A clipboard voice. Mikey hated it on principle.

"Number 401 isn't deaf. Nor is he stupid." he managed angrily, before clamping down on any further words.

"Subject confirms gender, same as previously ascertained during prelim examination."

That was enough to temporarily render the young turtle speechless. He felt furious and embarrassed, not mention more then a little violated. They'd done some sort of examination on him when he'd been unconscious?

"Subject speaks American English with a New York accent. Appears to be cogitating rather then repeating learned sentences."

"Well, yes, I'm thinking. The Army doesn't accept parrots. It was hard enough for them to accept a turtle!" he muttered, thankful for once for Don's vocabulary. Clipboard duly noted the observation. Mikey rolled his eyes.

_"Baka."_ The forbidden expression learned from Raph (who else) seemed to fit the git. Mikey then went on to expound at some length on the subject of the scientist's humanity and brainpower and how it would compare (unfavourably) with that of a small lemming. In Japanese.

Clipboard mentioned that the subject seemed to be raving and talking gibberish. The subject told him that actually, many Japanese people would be quite offended to hear their native language thus described. Clipboard dropped his pen. The idea of an animal speaking one language was hard enough, but English _and _Japanese- two of the harder world languages to learn, seemed to stump him entirely.

"It is my recommendation that previous plan of vivisection to see effects of death and revival after more then twenty-four hours to be wasteful. We could learn much more by having a psychologist to speak to this subject and learn if it is indeed sentient and how it learned two languages."

Mikey went silent again at the coldness in the man's voice when he spoke of murdering him -again!- to see the effects of his last bloody murder! And vivisection is never a nice word to hear applied to your immediate future.

"Where are my teammates?" he demanded. "And where am I?"

"Can you tell me anything else?" asked the man, pen poised.

"Where are my teammates and where am I?" he asked again.

"Your name is Michelangelo Hamato, we have your service file. I can't give you any information at this time. It's classified."

Mikey stared at the ceiling.

"At least tell me did you kill them or are they alive?" he asked flatly.

"Classified. But perhaps I could…bend a rule…if you were to tell me are there any more like yourself. Family?" Mikey gave the ceiling a flat stare. Was this guy thick or did he just believe that subtlety would be wasted on a giant turtle? Like he was going to give this goon his family's name and address!

"Michelangelo Hamato. Service number 1022461. Rank; Trainee." he shut his mouth again and stared at the ceiling. That was all he was getting, just as he'd been trained for a situation like this. Of course, he allowed, it probably wasn't precisely this situation they were thinking of…

* * *

Ten hours later they had reached Trenton and Leo felt like he was about to lose his legs. He'd been sitting on a hard jolting surface for ten hours and it wasn't even his turn to get out and drive yet. Ninja- he was ninja, used to discomfort and able to bear it with fortitude- his bum was numb-and OW! A pothole threw him up what felt like a foot and landed him hard on the base of his shell. Arrgh…his bum wasn't quite numb…that hurt! 

"Okay, pull over!" he said as commandingly as it is possible to sound when your rear end felt like, well, like it had been sat on for six hours and thumped around the inside of a large metal van. Don decided he had probably pushed his luck as far as it was going to go and meekly pulled over. He could do with stretching his legs for a while anyway he supposed. Ten hours of following directions read out by someone who, it transpired about three hours out from New York, had been reading the map upside down, trying to find back roads and avoid habitated areas and the riots and anger that made them so dangerous. He was tired too.

A thump and a squawk from the back of the van hurried both of them out to find Leo picking himself up off the road and glaring at them both. Raph turned away slightly, not able to hold the twitching of his mouth at the sight of Leo hobbling around like a granddad, slightly hunched over. Leo scowled at him even more fiercely and then glanced at Don. Before Raph could even react, Don made a run for the passenger door and Leo belied his previous elderly state by suddenly being at the drivers side door leaving Raph beside the open back door, groaning as he twigged how he'd been tricked. Ten minutes later they'd set off again with a much-relieved Leo driving, Don as a rather more competent map-reader and a grumbling Raph being bounced around the metal room in the back, wondering why the shell they hadn't got seats in here.

* * *

Mikey had been left alone again to brood. He'd refused to answer any of the scientist's questions and the man had left slightly frustrated but excited at what he had learned. His team! What if…they had been killed, he was sure. But so had he and he was back. Maybe they were okay too. Had they been captured? _Or vivisected_. The scientist's cool ones echoed in his head. Siren was in the most danger (after himself, he allowed). She was the most obviously not-human after himself with her wings. And the others? Steel, Electrode, Glacier? He suddenly realised that if something happened to any of them he would almost as badly affected as if it happened to one of his brothers. They were his team. And he was responsible for them. He strained again against the bonds- he had been working away at them automatically for as long as he'd been awake, but these guys were good. He wasn't getting loose any time soon. Eventually, against his will, his eyes closed as his body demanded rest and time to recover. 

He slept normally for a time before he felt something pushing at the back of his mind. Training kicked in and he tried to identify what it was. It felt like someone reaching out in meditation, only not practised and courteous, asking entry, like one of his brothers or his Sensei might have done. It seemed familiar…but not one of his family. It was scared, but didn't mean him harm. It was getting frantic and panicking. Then a scream echoed through his mind. He was willing to bet that the body of whoever this was was thrashing and panicking too. Then he recognised the presence.

_Siren!_

**Siren, it's alright. It's Mikey, don't panic**, he tried to communicate but the 'link' wasn't strong enough. He projected calming emotions at the 'presence' trying to soothe it. It worked and the presence faded slightly. Then images and impressions flew back to him- dark, capture, fear. So Siren was captive also. She was reacting much worse then he had because he was far more used to this sort of situation due to previous experience then she. Then another presence was felt, pushing at the link. It was…hard to place…no, not Electrode. Must be Steel. This one wasn't as panicked and could be calmed easily by Mikey and now Siren's efforts. She seemed to have gotten the idea, projecting calming and peaceful images to the newly-awakened mind. Mikey surmised that whatever it was that these people had used on them, it was only wearing off now. Glacier and Electrode should be waking soon. Siren and Mikey were the most different physiologically and they'd probably put less into them for fear of an overdose. Steel was bigger physically then petite Glacier or wiry Electrode and the drug had dispersed faster.

He noticed that with three 'linked' for want of a better word, images and ideas were easier to send although words didn't seem to be getting through. Then he was temporarily inundated with confusion and fear as both Glacier and Electrode 'woke' together. The three of them worked to calm them together and finally they had a five-way link established.

**Can…you hear me? **It was faint- distant. It sounded like Glacier. Mikey's eyebrows furrowed. Obviously this 'link' was more powerful, the more people involved. With two he had barely been able to calm Siren. With five, they could _talk_. Don could explain this, but he couldn't for the life of him think why this had happened.

**I hear you **he 'said' picturing her in his mind and concentrating on getting his answer to her.

There was a pause. **Did you hear any of the others? I heard you all.** Mikey thought about it.

**No…I focussed on you when I answered.**

**I concentrated on all of you- so you all heard it. Makes sense…unlike the rest of this! Where are we? And why can we talk like this? What's going on?**

The calm cool Glacier seemed on the verge of panic again and it was affecting the others. The 'link' shifted and suddenly Mikey could only hear his own thoughts again as he lay there, troubled and feeling very much alone.

* * *

_Hmm…another twist! Mwahahaha! Thank you for your patience, kind readers! I apologise for the long wait- pesky exams and stuff. Well, summer holidays have arrived again, the birds are blooming and the cabbages singing and this author wants to get back to torturing borrowed characters! See you again soon!_

_AZ_


	15. 15: The Letter And the Link

**Chapter 15**

**The Letter and the Link**

To **Roo**, **Pacphys** and **Midnight Heir** who kindly beta'd my characters and pointed out some things that I hadn't really thought through enough or sometimes just plain hadn't occured to me , thanks!

**

* * *

**

It was late evening by the time they reached a small village about four or five miles outside Alexandria, Leo on the edge of murdering the perpetually complaining Raph. Don had made sure he wasn't relegated to the back by being indispensable with the map and Leo was not going back in there, so poor Raph had been bouncing around inside the tin can for quite a while, his yelps and mutters getting both ruder and louder. Leo, with uncharacteristic bloody-mindedness was at the stage where he wasn't trying in the least to avoid potholes any more which may also help to explain the Wrath of the Raph that exploded out of the van like a small nuclear warhead as the van chugged to a halt just inside of the roadsign marking the borders of Alexandria. The green force of nature stopped abruptly as battered legs went on strike and the two in the front heard a yelp and a crash from outside. Leo rolled his eyes, feeling slightly guilty, while Don busied himself with that ancient Eastern art of being able to refold roadmaps correctly.

"LEO!? Where the hell did you learn to drive, ya moron?" came the howl from the ground. His legs may have been refusing orders but voice box was more then making up for it.

"Same place you did, Raph." Leo decided he better make some sort of peace-offering. It had been a long journey and…they were all stressed. "Come on, have some food and then we'll go in search of this place. We'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to talk to this dude." Raph accepted the peace-offering with bad grace, looking like he wanted to protest any delay in finding Robert Aylward and beating the truth out of him if necessary.

They took to the rooves of Alexandria soon after dusk. They weren't entirely sure what they were looking for, but this place was new and knowing a basic layout even might be useful if a sudden escape had to be made. Raph had taken the suburbs to explore, rather unusually for him. He preferred to be in the thick of action and the quiet path didn't hold much appeal most of the time. A dark shadow over the gable window of a pretty, detached house suddenly vanished as it's owner made a silent leap into the well-kept garden below. A red bandanna flickered in the breeze as he slipped through the shadows towards the letterbox at the gate, the hedges at the boundaries blurring his silhouette and making him almost impossible to see. The letterbox was simple brown wood and newly-painted letters read _AYLWARD_. He looked around at the garden, seeing again what had attracted him to the house. The halfbrick which had obviously struck the garage door with enough force to leave that dent- and the remain of several candles, one in the grass and several more in the driveway. The grass hadn't been cut in a few weeks by the look of it but the flowerbeds had obviously been planned out and bloomed in riotous colour- or would in the morning. He nodded to himself, taking stock of his location and bounded upwards again, landing on the roof like a cat and moving at speed towards the town again.

* * *

"It would be for your own good to help us, Michelangelo." This scientist bore no clipboard. He was an older man with a rounded face and an easy smile. He had been trying to get information from Mikey as to his background and family as well as about the rest of his team. Mikey stared up at the ceiling repeating nothing but the information he had given at the start. Name, rank and serial number. The psychiatrist (this guess being Mikey's private certainty) must have been getting frustrated but showed no outward signs, seeming to get only more fatherly and friendly. Mikey really wanted to bite him if at all possible but had the nasty feeling that it would only serve to confirm these people's previous estimation of his animal status. He had no inclination to be vivisected! He belatedly realised that the psychiatrist had asked him something else that he hadn't heard. Ah, what the hell, it probably hadn't been important anyway. None of the rest of it had been.

"If you don't co-operate, they will go back to their previous plan and kill you and your team," repeated the man rather desperately, his frustration and inability to deal with the situation coming through. Mikey ignored that comment as well. Hey, hadn't he died already once tod…er…probably this week? And if the choices were between remaining here for the rest of his natural existence or having to give them the opportunity to look at his insides after all, well, the afterlife hadn't been that bad. He ignored the menace to his team as well although the cold-hearted threat to them made his stomach clench. Damn these evil people with their questions and complete lack of humanity. He realised he was half-asleep again, still exhausted at the traumatic events of the past week and was dreaming before he could think another coherent sentence.

* * *

Leonardo knocked on the door, feeling suddenly strange. This was a weird situation he thought, glancing around at his brothers. Don looked a bit nervous, after all wasn't this the sort of thing that they had been brought up never to do? A lifetime of avoiding humans made this a very uncomfortable moment. He glanced at Raph as well. His younger brother was bouncing almost, and his eyes in the shadow looked dangerous.

"Raph. We don't know if this guy's our enemy. And remember that he's just lost his wife, wouldya?" Raph glared at him.

"We just lost our brother!" he hissed, but any further words were cut off by the door cracking open.

"Mr. Aylward?" tried Leo. The man's eyes widened at he clicked the porch light on and saw his visitors.

"You? Are you…who are you?" he asked.

"We're…our brother was…Hamato Michelangelo, part of the mutant team training in the military base…" Robert nodded, feeling this to be all somewhat surreal.

"We got a message from someone who said she was…your wife, telling us to come find you…"

"Sayin' that you had something to do with what happened to our brother!" growled Raph. Don put a hand on his arm warningly and Raph subsided.

"My…my wife? My wife is dead," he spoke with gut-wrenching sorrow and loss in his voice as well as complete certainty.

"People around here don't seem to think so. Is she a…I don't know, a ghost then? Something spoke to me and told me who you are and where to find you." He didn't need to continue. Robert had taken the chain off the door.

"Come in. You…you'd better come in. I will tell you what I can."

Half an hour later the complicated story had been described to the three brothers. How they had gotten involved through his sister with a mutant group that were keeping an eye on the team, ostensibly a benign one but how they had all been played.

"My sister…and Chrysta's friend…Mirage, she, she knew what was happening and she betrayed us…and them. And Oracle…she knew what would happen. And she let it happen. My wife, she felt such guilt that what we had done had led to the deaths of those kids that… She had a very powerful gift. Death wasn't a barrier to her, her healing powers were so strong. So myself and Mirage stole the bodies back at the funeral and brought them here. She…I didn't want her to do this, I was afraid for her, but she did it. She brought all five back from death." He spoke with an almost fierce pride as he described his wife's greatest triumph. "But…she was punished for it. She, I don't fully know what she is but when she came back she was changed. Oracle said she was something called Shee?"

"Sidhe…a sort of ghost or spirit. Faerie of Gaelic culture. Bansidhe is the most famous one…" Don trailed off as Robert looked at him, pain in his eyes.

"Yes…she was no longer living nor was she dead. She left me and…she left…" He trailed off and Leo could see he wasn't going to get much more out of him.

"I'm sorry for your loss…" he murmured, a bit unsure as to what to say. Part of him was rejoicing wildly. **_His brother was alive! _**He blinked as it really settled in and a smile spread across his face as it sank in. His brother was alive! Glancing at his brothers he could see the same message settling in there as well.

"Wait…Oracle, Oracle was killed when your brother was taken- the day after we revived them. She, she told them where they were but…please, don't blame her. She left me a letter- and one for you as well. She knew you would come. I…let me get it." He stood and moved out of the room slowly, seeming older then his thirty or so years.

Raph looked triumphant and Dan's eyes were shining. Leo felt a ridiculous grin take over his own face and he pulled out his shell-cell. This needed to get back to Master Splinter. But before he could Robert was back, holding a sealed envelope which he pushed into Don's hands before collapsing onto the sofa. His eyes had filled again, talking about his wife's last act and Leo sensed it was time to leave.

"Thankyou, Mr. Aylward." he said quietly as they prepared to leave. Robert's head came up again before they could and he spoke in a cracking voice.

"Please…when you find them…tell them we're sorry. I'm sorry for what we were responsible for…"

Leo spoke gently. He had been furious with these people for what they had put them through, whatever about his words to Raph. But now, having seen the terrible price paid by three of the four members of this peculiar group, his heart had softened.

"Your wife saved our brother and I'm sorry for what happened to her. And Oracle warned us. There's no blame."

They left the house, Leo holding the precious letter until the reached the van where he carefully slit the seal and opened the letter. It was a single sheet covered with small, beautifully-formed handwriting.

_If you're reading this then everything has happened as it was meant to. Please don't blame Robert or Chrysta. By now you know nearly everything. Your brother and his team were murdered by a group called Mutant Liberation who are trying to force all out war between the mutant population of America and the human population. They believe they can win. Robert's sister was part of that and introduced us. They had us watching Michelangelo's team, although both Chrysta and Robert believed it was innocent. They believed that they were helping them. Mirage, Robert's sister, knew better. You know how they were killed and revived by now. So why, if I knew did I not stop it? And even more to the point, why did I allow, arrange their capture by human militants, especially when I knew my own death was unavoidable by this plan?_

_All four of us had very powerful mutations, Chrysta's is perhaps the most unique but mine is not far behind. I See not only the future that will happen but all others that can happen as well. I saw disasters in the future so great that they could easily be described as the end of the world. I saw a war that started in America and spread like a plague to Europe, to Africa, to the entire earth- a war that took three devastating years to end and left the planet a barren wasteland for the most part. The mutant team has an extremely important role to play in avoiding this future and this complicated plan was the only one which led to this horrific course being averted. They had to die and drop out of public consciousness. And I'm afraid they had to be captured- and rescued. Unfortunately, I cannot help them now. My death was also Seen- whichever way this goes, I shall not be around to see it. I have put us on this course, the only one in which there is a chance of the world surviving the next few years. Now it is up to you to keep it there."_

_Oracle_

The letter finished with another address and a final instruction for the team to be in Washington on a certain date- a week from now. Raph flung himself out of the back of the van and into the drivers seat.

"What are we waiting for?" he growled furiously. "Let's get to this base an' rescue Mikey!" Equally revved up, although naturally more cautious, Leo and Don agreed and the van fired, starting the turtles on the next leg of their journey.

* * *

Mikey woke up again to darkness, but his time he could feel the bond in his mind, linking him to the others. He carefully followed it and established a two way link with Electrode this time. He had just completed it when Siren joined them, followed by Steel. It was much easier this time.

**I'm…glad you're all still alive.** **I thought…I thought…we were dead, weren't we? What's happened to us? Why are we alive? And who has us?** Glacier spoke, moving from the almost shy tones to professional detachment. There was silence for a few moments.

**I really don't know why we're alive. But as far as I can remember, we died, back there in the restaurant. Someone…shot us?**

**Then nothing worse can happen to us for the rest of the week. **'said' Mikey briskly. They needed to be focussed. **Now we need to concentrate on our current situation. Everything else can wait. Has anyone got any useful information from the scientists?**

Almost half an hour later a tight hiss from Siren informed the others that someone had come into the darkened room that she occupied. Her 'voice' fell silent and suddenly the others could no longer feel her presence within the 'link'. They continued to talk -and worry- collating the information and forming it into a workable theory of why they'd been taken and hopefully from this they could work out a possible escape.

* * *

I figured a relatively short update was still better then none at all so here ya go, guys! 


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